Not a kid
by moonlit dew
Summary: He wanted to be seen as an equal. To be more than the hikari. And if leaving to get stronger was the way to do it, so be it. A tale of growing up. YugiYami future lemons Dsicontinued
1. Chapter 1

**Warning:**

**Mild angst, future yaoi and stuff…yeah…**

**Pairings:**

**Yugi/Yami Yugi and other minor ones (probably hikari/yami) later on.**

Chapter 1

Dulled violet eyes gazed out of the small window into the inky blackness of the night sky. The moon shone brightly, illuminating the streets of Domino city. The only light that was visible in those once constantly glittering eyes was that of the stars twinkling merrily from the heavens. A tired sigh escaped the owner of said eyes and was carried through the empty house all the way to the game store on the bottom floor.

Yugi Mutouh turned away from the only window in his room and trudged slowly towards his desk. Life was definitely not wonderful. Plopping down on his chair, Yugi put his head in his hands and with a glazed over look thought back to the events of the last six months or so.

Everything had started innocent enough. Atemu had finally gotten his own body and Yugi couldn't have been happier for him. His darkness, his yami, had at long last gotten the second chance at life he so much deserved. Yami Bakura and Yami Marik had also been pardoned and given the opportunity to make up with their hikaris. Ryou and Marik had decided to give their yamis a chance to prove themselves and now got along with their others pretty well. Of course that didn't mean that the former tomb robber and his psychotic partner still didn't have their insane, homicidal moments, but at least now they weren't directed towards their lights and their friends. Atemu now lived with Yugi and his grandfather (when said grandfather wasn't on excavations) in the game shop and Ryou, Bakura, Marik and Yami Marik had all decided to settle in Domino. The Millenium Items were given to Ishizu to guard with only the Puzzle, Rod and Ring left in the possession of the three yamis. Life was finally back to normal (or at least as normal as it could be around Yugi). But that was on the surface.

In reality, Yugi was suffocating. Well maybe not literally, but recently he felt as if there was an invisible rope around his neck that kept getting tighter with each passing day. At first it was small things that he didn't pay much attention to. His friends would come by to visit and swarm Atemu on the spot or they would prefer to duel him and push Yugi to the side, forgotten. But it was alright with him, after all, his yami deserved it and he needed more human interaction (being stuck in a piece of gold for thousands of years could really damage one's social skills). But things kept getting worse.

Soon Yugi realized that his friends didn't really see him as an individual person their own age. They had formed a mold for how he should act and had long ago cemented their opinion on what his character should be like. He was Atemu's light, his hikari, and that automatically made him a naïve, innocent child that didn't know anything about the real world and should be sheltered from everything at all costs. Atemu's overprotective nature didn't help matters much either. The truth of the matter was, Yugi was neither naïve, nor completely innocent. He knew what the real world was like, he'd lived in it since before Atemu and his friends had arrived in his life. He was no idiot and clearly saw the condescending looks people often threw his way every time he opened his mouth to speak. They didn't think he knew what he was talking about and half the time simply ignored him.

And Yugi was tired. He was tired of being treated like an eight-year old child. He was fourteen for Ra's sake. So what if he still hadn't reached his growth spurt?! He was getting there… The changes had been gradual, but drastic. He was often times left behind when his friends went clubbing. During conversations he was almost constantly ignored and left to just sit there like a doll. Ryou and Marik didn't have that problem, though Yugi didn't quite understand why. They were hikaris too. But nonetheless, Yugi was left to sit in a corner while his yami was being surrounded by everyone else's laughter and chatter and fawned over by Tea (Yugi still couldn't believe he'd once had a crush on her). And every day was the same. Yugi was feeling like he was trapped. Trapped in the mold made by his own friends and choking on the very thing that made them think of him as a child- his purity.

But it especially hurt because the person who meant more to him than anyone else appeared to be one of those who only saw the child in him. The big, innocent eyes, the cherubic round face, the 'innocence' and 'naivety'…With another resigned sigh, Yugi dropped his head on his desk, resting his forehead on the cool wooden surface, sinking deeper in his quite unhappy thoughts.

'Maybe' He mused to himself 'Maybe that's why it hurts so damn much. Maybe if he just saw past the child and to the person, it'd be easier to handle everyone else's patronizing glances. If he could just see how much he means to me, it wouldn't be this hard. I wouldn't feel so sheltered, so…trapped…' Clenching his fists, he squeezed his eyes tight 'Yeah, like that'll ever happen…' Snorting at the thought of having his feelings returned, Yugi again propped his chin on his hands, resting his elbows on his desk 'I bet the aliens will return Elvis Presley back to Earth before _he _ever sees me as anything more than his _little light_' Running a hand through his spiky tri-colored hair, he let the name of his long time crush slip gently past his lips "Atemu…_Yami_…"

He'd long ago figured out he saw his soul-partner as more than just his darkness and protector. How could he not? Those blood red eyes, that tan skin…His whole _being_ reminded Yugi of the desert that covered his yami's home. Hot, smoldering, _steaming_…'And that leather fetish he seems to have doesn't exactly help matters either' At that, Yugi let out a bitter little chuckle (because yes, contrary to popular belief, he could do more than just _giggle_). But again, he reminded himself that Atemu would probably never think of him the way he thought of his darkness. And so, Yugi had to keep his emotions to himself and make sure none of his naughty thoughts slipped past their mental link whenever he saw Atemu in his clubbing outfit (in other words- tons of leather and buckles). 'Heh heh…Wonder what he'd think if he ever found out his innocent little hikari had naughty thoughts…' And another bitter, hollow cackle followed his stray thought.

His moment of self-pity was cut short however when he heard the bell of the game shop downstairs chime softly. Getting up from his chair, Yugi made his way to see if his soul partner was back from his night out. Yes, yet another event little, naive Yugi was deemed too innocent to attend. Note the sarcasm. Nevertheless, Yugi tried to erase the scowl from his face and trotted down the stairs. He'd long ago found out that negative emotions like anger, disgust, etc. were not popular among other people. At least not when they came from him. They tended to bring him nothing but amused, condescending looks.

Once he arrived to his destination, Yugi saw that Atemu was indeed back. The young light had to remind himself to breath at the sight of his sex-on-feet of a yami and remember that jumping his bones at that very moment would probably be a bad idea. The leather clad figure was barely visible in the dimly lit hallway, so the hikari softly called out "Hey, Yami. Back already?"

Startled, Atemu jumped slightly and turned towardsYugi. Furrowing his brows in displeasure, he chided "Yugi, what are you doing up? You should be in bed. It's two in the morning, aibou." Crossing his arms in front of his chest, he continued "You need your sleep."

Getting a bit irritated himself, Yugi crossed his own arms and regarded his yami, leather and all, the golden Puzzle hanging from a chain around his neck "Yami, I'm not a child. I can be up for as late as I want to." Uncrossing his arms, he added in a softer voice "Besides, I wanted to wait up for you. We hardly spend any time together nowadays."

Smiling a bit, Atemu came closer to his hikari "Sorry Yugi. But I've just been busy lately." At this, Yugi's chest tightened. He knew what his yami was busy with. Hanging out with _his _friends and keeping _him _in the dark about it. Atemu, not noticing anything unusual, continued "And that isn't a reason as to why you're still not in bed. I know what's good for you and staying up this late isn't on the list."

Now Yugi's eyes darkened. All thoughts of how hot his soul partner was were pushed aside for the moment. Again with the being treated as an eight-year old! The last few months of the same thing were getting to him "So you know what's good for me, do you?" His voice was low and dangerous "I'm a child that doesn't know when to go to bed, is that it?"

Unfortunately, the usually observant ex- pharaoh didn't pay attention "Well you are still young and…" Whatever Atemu was going to say next was cut short as Yugi finally lost his patience and crossed the remaining distance between them, sticking his finger in Atemu's chest. Grimacing, he hissed "I am no child, damn it! I can take care of myself! I _had_ been taking care of myself since before you showed up in my life!"

Finally noticing that something wasn't right, Atemu swatted Yugi's hand away and glared lightly at his hikari "What is the matter with you?" He growled "And where did you learn to curse from? You're my hikari, Yugi. You are supposed to be innocent." Putting his hands on his hips, Atemu stated "You are forbidden to ever say such words again!"

Yugi just gaped at his yami, dumbfounded. After he finally found his voice, he scowled "Who the fuck do you think you are?!" He exclaimed "I'll curse if I want to! You may have been pharaoh once upon a time Atemu, but that time is over. I'm not your slave! I can do whatever the hell I want, whenever I want!"

By this time Atemu was irritated, confused and angry. Just what was his light going on about?! "Yugi, you're acting childish. Are you sick or something?" He inquired after a moment "This is not the hikari I know. I think your lack of sleep is getting to you. See, I told you you should go to bed."

"Shut up!" Yugi screamed at the top of his lungs, now completely lost in the emotions that had been bottled up for months on end. Atemu gulped slightly "I don't need to be sheltered all the time! I don't need to be protected all the time! I'm not a damn porcelain doll, Yami!" He finished, panting.

"Well it sure as hell doesn't look like it, Yugi!" Atemu yelled back, getting his thoughts together again, now more than a little irritated himself "How many times have I had to save you myself, hm? You're always getting into trouble! Face it Yugi, who knows where you'd be now if it wasn't for me! You're just weak like that!"

Deathly silence followed Atemu's rant. Yugi's eyes were wide with disbelief, tears briming the corners of his eyelashes. Not only because what his partner had said was in many ways the truth, but because he was the last person Yugi expected to hear it from. It didn't help matters that Atemu was his secret crush either. Maybe that was the worst part- having the person you love tell you they think you're weak.

Atemu meanwhile was biting his lower lip, mentally smacking his head against a wall, not believing he'd just said what he'd said. It wasn't true. He didn't think Yugi was weak, on the contrary. He was in his opinion one of the strongest people he knew. His bright spirit, sunny nature and lively attitude were a complete contrast to Atemu's darkness. Yugi was everything he was not. His hikari, his aibou, his other half, his little one…his secret love. And Atemu couldn't believe he'd just caused his light pain, he who was supposed to be Yugi's protector and guardian.

"Yugi" He started "Yugi, I didn't… I didn't mean it… I was mad and I… Yugi, little light…" He didn't know what to say. What he'd done was unforgivable. He knew how sensitive Yugi could be, yet he'd purposely hurt him.

After a few more stammered excuses and mumbled apologies, Yugi finally looked his yami in the eyes and interrupted him "Save it. I guess I had it coming, huh?" His voice was empty, hollow. It sent unpleasant shivers down Atemu's back "I was wondering what you actually thought of me. Well, I guess I know now." He laughed an empty laugh."I guess I know what everybody thinks of me now! Heck, I'm surprised you all hadn't ditched the weak loser by now!" With a bitter smile on his face, Yugi shook his head lightly, turned around and headed upstairs.

"Yugi, wait!" Atemu reached out, trying to stop his retreating light "That's not true! We'd never leave you! We're your friends!" Silently, he added to himself 'And I'd be happy if we could be more than just friends'.

Yugi didn't stop nor did he turn around "No, Yami, you're right. It's okay. Just leave it. Just… leave it" He finished softly. Slowly, he ascended the stairs and headed to his room, leaving Atemu behind.

Somehow, the ancient spirit knew that it wasn't okay and that that night he'dlost something very precious. Something that he knew he had to regain soon or he'd lose it forever. His hikari's unconditional trust. Because even if Yugi didn't know about his darkness' true feelings for him (and if it was up to Atemu he'd_ never_ know), the little light's trust was something the once pharaoh cherished like the most precious of treasures. And he couldn't help but wonder how a simple little argument had turned out into something this serious.

**Author's note:**

**Hi, folks! Well, my first chapter of my first fanfiction ever. Hope you enjoyed it. I'll try and update every week or so, but please do share any and all commentaries you might have! In other words, please review! Love you all!**

**Moonlit Dew**

**Almost forgotten Disclaimer:**

**I do NOT own Yu Gi Oh! or any of its characters. I'm just kidnapping…errr…borrowing them to exploit, I mean _use_, for my sick, twisted pleasure. I _MEAN_ to create an informative and interesting story! Heh heh heh… '_masisve sweatdrop'_ Don't mind me! I'm just psychotic, I mean _strange_ like that! Yeah, strange…**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The following few weeks after the fight between yami and hikari passed by relatively peaceful. Whatever reaction Atemu had been expecting it was definitely not the aloof nonchalance emitted by his aibou. The morning that followed the quarrel had been almost like any other in the small game shop, but Sugoroku hadn't missed the tension between his grandson and his darkness, even if it was barely discernable. Yugi had seemed to refuse to acknowledge Atemu, he hadn't even so much as looked his way. He had calmly grabbed his toast, put his shoes on, and left for school. What had bothered Sugoroku even more, though, was the fact that his grandson hadn't even waited for his friends to stop by and pick him and his yami up. And if that hadn't confused the poor old man, Atemu's reaction sure as hell had.

The other teen had kept stealing glances at his light all throughout Yugi quick preparations for school. He had acted as though he'd expected a bomb to blow up any second now and had hardly said anything other than the usual "Good morning". After Yugi had left, he'd stared for a few moments longer at the front door with a thoughtful and a bit worried expression, but had soon followed his hikari.

Now if Sugoroku hadn't known better, he'd have thought Yugi and Atemu had had a fight. Although he'd wondered when that had happened. He' been gone on excavations for the last few months and had just returned from Egypt late last night, and both teens had already been in bed. And his grandson and his Yami had been just fine before he'd left (or at least as far as he'd been able to tell). The fight they seemed to have gotten into was apparantly still fresh so Sugoroku had decided that it must have happened in the last few days at the most. And he was worried. He knew his grandson. Yugi hardly ever fought with anyone, let alone hold a grudge like this! Heck, he'd even seen him hang out with Yami Bakura and that other psycho buddy of his, Yami Marik! Nevertheless, the following weeks of peace and _normality _(which after Pegasus and the other megalomaniacs was a welcome relief) had served to calm him down and he soon blamed his worries on his old age.

Atemu on the other had needed a bit more time with placating his wary nerves. The morning after his fight with Yugi he'd been nervous and uncomfortable. He'd intended on confronting his aibou and fixing whatever had gone wrong but the blatant ignoring on Yugi's part had scared him off. Funny, huh? Him- scared? But he had been. He'd been confused and disoriented, he still hadn't understood what exactly had happened and it had seemed that Yugi had completely forgotten Atemu's harsh words from the previous night. But the tension had still been there, thick enough to cut through with a dull knife. The fact that his little light had closed off their mental link completely hadn't helped matters much. All Atemu had wanted to do was go up there, take his hikari in his arms, kiss him breathless, and tell him how much he meant to him and how strong he thought his Yugi really was. But he knew he couldn't have done _that_ (he'd have scared his poor, 'innocent' little light off), so he'd simply kept quite. He'd watched as the hikari had left and had followed for school soon after, meeting Joey, Tea and the rest of the gang halfway there.

And the moment to talk things out with Yugi had kept slipping away the next few weeks. Every time he would have finally managed to get his hikari alone, either his friends would show up and ruin it, or Yugi himself would change the subject before they really breached it. So Atemu had kept postponing and delaying, until he'd completely forgotten about the whole incident, the foreboding feeling in the pit in his stomach suppressed by more important duties (like spending his time enjoying the life he'd been denied for so long and pining after his 'impossible' love for his light) and ignoring the blocked mental link. Life went on as of normal for the once pharaoh.

However, Yugi had not forgotten a not moment of their fight, not a word of Atemu's rant. In fact, the words had kept repeating over and over in his head _'…You're just weak like that!' _And that had made him wonder. If Atemu thought of him like that, did that mean all his friends thought so too? Yugi didn't exactly care what they thought of him, their opinion didn't matter to him all that much, not anymore at least. They had showed him that they weren't his real friends by refusing to accept him as anything more than a child. But Atemu still cared for their opinion and the only opinion Yugi cared about was that of his yami. So, the young light had thought long and hard and by the morning following the fight, he'd prepared a plan. He had acted as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened and greated his grandpa with his safe return home. He'd tried to ignore his yami's glances and had hurried out of the house prepared to launch stage one of his plan.

Yugi had figured out that to have people take him seriously, he'd need to get stronger. Like Atemu had said, he was weak now. So he'd decided that the only way to get people to acknowledge him as more than just a naïve little kid, as more than the 'innocent hikari', was to grow up. Grow up and break out of the mold everyone liked to put him in. But he'd also realized that he'd never be able to do so under the constant 'protection' (more like sheltering in Yugi's opinion) of his yami and 'friends'. And that's why he'd decided to leave. That's right, leave. Leave Domino city, his darkness and crush, and even Japan itself. Now, he wasn't an idiot. He wasn't going to just up and run with nothing but a duffle bag and the clothes on his back, catching the first plain he saw. No, he needed to prepare properly. He wasn't going to act like an eager little kid. He knew that it'd be hard, a challenge. But he was willing to take everything life had to throw his way and show everyone that he wasn't as incapable of surviving on his own as they thought.

So, after he'd gotten to Domino high, the first thing he'd done had been finding Seto Kaiba. Now, it may have sounded weird to some people- why would the stoic CEO of Kaiba Corp associate with him, right? And to Yugi's friends and yami it would have sounded positively impossible. The young businessman was more likely to chop someone's head off with his metallic briefcase than be seen anywhere near people other than his brother. But Yugi knew better. Probably the only person to see him as more than a dependant, naïve kid was Seto himself. Yes, as astounding and miraculous as it seemed, it was still the truth. Maybe because of the countless dangers they'd faced together in the past, or maybe because of the fact, that had it not been for Yugi's ability to somehow trust Kaiba and see past his icy exterior, Mokuba would have still been in Pegasus' clutches. Whatever the reason, the young hikari had managed what so few others had not- he'd gained Seto Kaiba's respect and even slight admiration. And now he was glad he'd done so, because if anyone could help him get out of the country, it was the almighty CEO.

In any case, Yugi had wasted no time in locating Kaiba in their classroom, approaching and tapping him lightly on the shoulder, in order to gain his attention from the book he'd been reading. Lifting his head from the piece of fiction, Seto had cast him an inquisitive gaze. Yugi had simply stared back and asked "Could I talk to you for a minute, Seto?" Seeing his slight hesitation, he'd added "Please, it's important."

Putting his book on the desk, Seto had stood up and followed Yugi out to the sakura trees in the far end of the schoolyard. The bell hadn't been about to ring for another fifteen minutes or so, giving them plenty of time to talk. While they both did respect each other as worthy rivals and even companions, they weren't exactly the best of buddies either. But Yugi had said it was important, so Seto's curiosity had been piqued. Finally, Yugi had decided to speak, preferring to get straight to the point since Kaiba was never one to beat around the bush.

"Seto, I want to leave Japan for an unknown amount of time and I need your help to do so." He'd been rewarded with a slight widening of his rival's eyes and a sharp intake of air.

After a moment of shoched silence, Kaiba had uttered one word "Explain." It hadn't been much, but had passed on numerous other inquiries along 'Why? When? What is the reason?..._Who _is the reason?' And at least he hadn't outright denied Yugi his help.

Plopping on the ground with a tired, shaky sigh, the hikari had bent his head down and spoken " I know it's sudden and I know no one was expecting this, but…" He'd lifted his head up, his eyes locking with the young CEO's, and the utter despair and _need_ in the violet pools had captivated Seto, startling him with their intensity. Meanwhile, Yugi had continued "I'm suffocating, Seto, choking on myself. Or rather on what _people_ want me to be. All my friends see me as nothing more than a child, an innocent, a naïve, little fool that needs to constantly be sheltered and protected, they think I'm_ weak_. And I can't do this anymore. I cant' keep playing a role that has never fit me. I need to gat stronger, to grow up. And in order to do that I need to leave the place and the people that will always get in my way. I need to find myself, Seto, my independence," Looking away again, he'd added in a tone so soft Seto had hardly heard him "I need to leave Domino and Japan. And I need_ your_ help to do so."

Hearing all this, Seto had snorted to himself, thoroughly annoyed and disgusted. The utter _idiocy_ of those fools astounded him! Were they blind as well as incompetent? Could they not see that Yugi was no child, no complete innocent? The things he'd seen and done… No naïve child had been through what Yugi had survived, even going so far as saving those pathetic 'friends' of his numerous times. And what about that spirit of his that now had a body of its own, that Atemu or Yami or whatever his name was? He'd noticed the fleeting glances the two threw each other when they thought no one was looking and realized that the two loved one another. But he also realized that Atemu thought his light too 'innocent' to understand, let alone retutn his feelings. What an idiot. But as far as he knew, there was some sort of mental connection between him and Yugi, enabling them to share thoughts and emotions. If nothing else, couldn't Atemu have at least realized what a strong person his light was? What an iron will and mind he possessed? Staring at the depressed form crumbled at the base of the sakura tree, Seto had made his decision. Yugi didn't need to get stronger because he was already strong. He didn't need to grow up, because fighting alongside a once pharoah for the fate of the world had forced him to grow up prematurely (him being here, asking for his help instead of blindly running off was proof enough of that). But he _did _need to get his confidence back. And Seto wasn't going to let those imbeciles that called themselves Yugi's friends snuff out the bright, burning fire in the young light's eyes with their ignorance. Yugi had earned his respect for a reason.

So Seto had steeled his gaze and spoken "Alright, I'll help you." Seeing Yugi's hopeful eyes shift towards him once again, he'd seated himself on the ground next to the hikari and continued "I'll help you leave the country. I'm thinking America. The US, to be more precise. We'll get you a new identity, but you'll have to speak with your grandfather for permission. It'll be needed for some documents. Even _I_ can't get around that- he _is _your legal guardian after all."

A moment of silence followed, Yugi sitting there, digesting the consequences of the recent events, his body and mind numb. He hadn't expected Seto to agree helping him so easily. Not that he hadn't been thankful, it had just come as a surprise. Finally, he had turned his head to the young CEO sitting next to him, looking him in the eyes. And he'd smiled a true smile, better than a thousand 'Thank you', full of happiness and renewed hope for the future. A smile that hadn't graced his face for months now. Seto had noted the difference and his own lips had twitched for a moment in the beginnings of his own smile. Seeing the spark in those luminescent purple eyes return, he'd reinforced his decision to do everything in his power to not only keep it there, but to help it grow back into the burning inferno of passion and determination it had once been. They had broken their gaze and lapsed into a comfortable silence until the bell had rung, announcing the start of classes.

The next few weeks had passed by in a flurry of activity and preparations. Seto had kept his word and gotten him a new identity and a home, job and place in school, all in the US and all with the agreement of his grandfather. The elder Mutouh had taken the news quite well, actually. He'd been devastated at first- his only grandson would be leaving for a different country for an unknown amount of time- but eventually, he'd understood his reasons and given him all of his support. Plus, Yugi had promised to write often. It had all been kept a secret from Atemu and his friends, of course. It had been difficult for Yugi, he'd had to keep avoiding his yami, but he'd reminded himself that he was doing this to finally be mature enough for his darkness to see him as more than a child in constant need of protection. And it had worked. Yugi hadn't known whether to be happy because Atemu hadn't suspected him, or be depressed that he hadn't paid him enough attention to notice anything. The mental link between the two had been cut off throughout it all.

And so, here he was. Packing the last of his belongings in his suitcase, ready to catch the plain that would lead him to a new life in less than four hours. He'd waited until he was sure Atemu had left and called Seto, who would take him to the airport. As he finished packing, he stopped for a moment, taking in his old room for one last time. The desk, where he'd assembled the Millenium Puzzle that now hung around his yami's neck, the bed where they'd spent countless hours just laying in the dark, talking…Finally, his eyes settled on a picture sitting by his bed. It was of him and Atemu right after the yami had gotten his new body. Yugi's eyes were shining happily and his smile was radiant. He remembered that it was taken

shortly after he'd realized that the joy he'd been feeling at the time was due to the love he'd developed for his darkness. Atemu meanwhile was waving his hands madly in the background, his features contorted in a scowl at the strange device he'd thought had been trying to suck out his hikari's soul (Yugi had later explained that it was a machine called a camera, used to take pictures). The young light chuckled at the memory. Atemu had been awfully embarrassed. Sighing, Yugi prepared to grab his bags and head downstairs, when he heard the front door open. Paling slightly, he prayed it wasn't who he thought it was.

The loud yell of "Yugi! I'm home early! Where are you?" however proved his suspicions right. He stood frozen to the spot, hearing the creak of the stairs, signifying that someone was coming up, all the while praying silently 'Please don't come in here! Please don't come in here! _I'm not ready to face you!_" He stared, mesmerized, as the door handle turned, and with a soft "Yugi? Are you in there?" the door opened to reveal Atemu on the other side.

Time seemed to freeze. Atemu stared wide eyed at his light, standing in the middle of the room, two over stuffed suitcases sitting on the bed.Yugi just stared back, waiting for all hell to break loose. He didn't have to wait long.

Blinking once, twice, Atemu sucked in as much air as his lungs could take, before opening his mouth to speak "What is all this? Why are those suitcases on your bed?" He spoke in a whisper, Yugi could barely hear him, but it was worse than screams and yells. It was a deathly, dangerous tone Atemu never used on him "Yugi?"

Deciding that it would be best to say it straight out, Yugi replied "I'm leaving." There. Simple as that. He was leaving and there wasn't anything anyone could do to stop him. Then why was he so _nervous_?

Atemu paled even more and his eyes darkened. Those indescribable, gorgeous red pools of blood were focused on him with such intensity, it made him shiver. "What?" Atemu whispered, still as quitly.

Yugi met those burning infernos of eyes and replied coolly "You said it yourself, Yami. I'm weak. I need to get stronger, to grow up." Then, softly, pleading with him to understand, he added "And I can't do that here. Whether intentionally or not, but you're not letting me. I'm leaving." The last part was added sternly, leaving no room for arguments.

In three long strides Atemu was in front of him, his face contorted in anger "What?! No!" _Now_ he was shouting "You can't! I won't let you! You can't do this to m…to _us_!" He was shaking him now, desperate in his frustration and anger "How can you?! Why? I thought everything was alright!"

Yugi finally wrenched his arm free and moved away from the enraged ex-pharoah. "No! That's exactly what I'm talking about" Now _he_ was mad. "I need to do this! For me! Don't you see? I can't be cuddled and sheltered all my life! I need to be free to grow up! Please, Yami, you have to understand! I can't be a kid forever. I'm _not_ a kid! Let me go, Yami…_Please._" He was begging now. Begging for Atemu to understand and not make this any harder than it alredy was. He was leaving the person he loved after all…Distantly, he heard a car pull in front of the game shop. 'Too late, Seto…' He thought sadly.

But all Atemu could see was that he was loosing his hikari, his aibou, his_ love_ and every possessive fire in his body was screaming at him not to let go. So in a last ditch effort to stop his light, he desperately shouted out "So you'll run?! Run from your problems? I didn't know you were a _coward_, Yugi!"

Yugi froze.He knew what his yami was trying to do, but it still hurt. 'All the more reason to go through with my plan.' He told himself. But the pain didn't lessen. Because he knew that in some ways he _was _a coward. He loved Atemu, yet had never found the courage to tell him so. 'Well' He decided 'No time like the present.' And with that thought in mind, he marched towards his stock still yami, grabbed him by the shoulders, reached up and planted a firm, hard kiss right on his Atemu's soft pink lips. It wasn't particularly spectacular or amazingly executed, there wasn't even any tongue present, in fact it was rather clumsy and awkward. But in, it Yugi put all of his pent up emotions, all of his love and frustration, all of his passion and strength. And that alone was enough to make it mind blowing.

Atemu was still staring into space, shocked and unbelieving, eyes as eide as windmills, when Yugi pulled away and leaned in to whisper in his ear, his voice husky and raw, and his breath hot against his yami's skin "I'm not afraid of _anything_, Yami." And with that, he finally opened the mind link, just a crack, sending over a single thought to Atemu's foggy, mushy mind '_Sleep_'. And sleep he did. Atemu crumbled in a boneless heap on the floor, blissfully unaware of the conscious world in a matter of seconds.

Sighing softly, Yugi gazed a second longer at his slumbering love. Then he steeled himself and with a muttered 'Goodbye' he got his bags from the bed and dragged them downstairs and outside the game shop, where Kaiba's limo was waiting for him. The ride to the airport was silent. The driver kept casting him curious looks, but didn't ask anything and Yugi was thankful. He wasn't in the mood.

When they finally got there, he was greeted by his grandfather, Seto and Mokuba, all there to say their goodbyes. Unfortunately, they had to make it quick, due to Yugi arriving later than expected. Hugging his grandson tightly, Sugoroku muttered, his voice cracking "Be careful, Yugi. Take care of yourself, you hear me? And…and don't forget to write. You promised!"

Smiling softly, Yugi assured his grandfather "Yeah, grandpa. I promised. And don't worry,

I'll take care of myself." Letting go of his relative, Yugi hardly had the time to turn around, when he was glomped and tackled to the ground by a black blur. Regaining his bearings, he finally freed himself of the sobbing Mokuba amidst a wail of protests ( 'Don't go!', 'You can live with us!' and 'You can even have Seto's room!' among them) turned to face Kaiba (who was twitching wildly by now) himself.

There wasn't need for words between those two. All that needed to be said had already been said. They were rivals, they were companions, and now they were…_friends_. With a sad smile, Yugi mumbled a "Thank you" and turned around without another word. They'd always be there for one another, as true friends should be. Without the sentimental crap and friendship speeches. Theirs was a bond of actions.

An hour later, Yugi was sitting comfortably in his seat, watching the ground disappear at a rapid speed. Turning his gaze at the back of the seat in front of him, leaving his past behind him, ready for the future ahead of him, he whispered to himself 'Miami/Florida, here comes Kouga Uchiha.'

**Author's notes:**

**Well. How's that for a second chapter? Things seem to be moving a bit slow for now, but bear with me. I'm thinking of going about 5 years into the future with my next chapter. Or would you prefer things to go slower? I personally think that a 5 year time lapse is the better option (that's when things get interesting _wink wink), _but I'd still like to hear otheropinions. **

**And now I'd like to express my thanks to the_ REVIEWERS squeeeeeeel!!!_ You guys can't believe how grateful I am! Imagine, getting so many_ positive_ reviews for my first fanfic! And not a single negative opinion! I'm truly touched you guys. It's great encouragement and it keeps me going, proving that my writing is worth something to someone. **

**One more time, THANK YOU!**

**Almost forgotten Disclaimer (rubs head with a sheapish smile):**

**I do not own Yu Gi Oh!...Though if I did…WATCH OUT EVERYONE! Hot boy to boy sex all around! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!! _cackles maniacally with an evil grin while rubbing hands _Err…I mean _gives puppy eyes with innocent little smile _I'm a good girl! Really I am! _Audience turns away thinking 'Must…not…look…at…puppy eyes!'_**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

_BRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNGGG!_

_CRASH!_

_BANG!_

A hand shot out and landed heavily on one of mankind's most _evil_ of creations, otherwise known as an alarm clock. Predictably, said alarm clock was smashed to a pulp, its excruciatingly shrill ringing coming to an abrupt end. The slightly tanned hand that had brought about its demise plopped down from the nightstand where it had landed and lay limply on the side of the bed.

If one decided to follow that same arm, one would see that it was poking out of a black silk comforter, covering the rest of the person that was underneath it. After a few more seconds of blissful silence, the calm of the morning was shattered by a low groan, coming from the prone figure on the bed. Another tanned arm wormed its way out of the warmth of the black comforter and pushed it down to finally reveal the rest of the recently sleeping person.

Good thing there weren't any ladies (or men, for that matter) in the room at that moment, because death-by-nosebleed-induced-blood-loss would have been inevitable. A smooth, seemingly velvety soft bronze skin, covered a lithe, graceful figure that dancers would have been jealous of. The shape of the person was slim, but at the same time undeniably masculine. Strong, long legs joined together at a thin waist, leading up to a pair of shoulders, broad enough to be a man's, but in no way bulky. A slim, graceful neck was supporting the figure's head, which was still buried in the pillow. Unfortunately it was impossible to tell any more of the person's features, because he was still lying on his stomach, face down. But even that was enough to make anyone with an ounce of appreciation for all things beautiful drool. Soon enough though, the figure released a resigned sigh, as though even if it didn't want to, it'd still have to face a new day. Slowly, the person pushed himself into a sitting position and wearily opened his eyes. And if one thought he was beauty personified before, _now_…Long, thick bangs of pure silver fell in the person's face, hiding his features. The messy strands looked like liquid, smooth and shiny. The rest of his hair was pitch-black, rivaling the sky on a night with no moon or stars to brighten it. It wasn't very short, but it spiked out some, which was a bit peculiar, since it still looked soft as feathers. Long, slim fingers came to brush away the messy bangs, obscuring the man's face and revealed the rest of his facial features. High, proportionate cheekbones, a straight, proud nose, and petal-soft, full lips, all covered by the same lightly tanned, silky skin, that stretched down the rest of his nicely muscled body. But the most striking things about the figure's face were his eyes. Long, thick, black lashes framed a pair of almond-shaped gems. Slim, thin eyebrows arched above them. The eye color in itself though, was something _totally_ unique. A vivid shade of greyish amethyst, tinted with silver specks. They had once been much lighter, but then again, the person behind those eyes had been in many ways lighter himself. All in all, with its aura of dark, seductive sensuality, the figure looked deliciously molestable. The fact that he was wearing nothing but a pair of black, silk boxers didn't help matters much either.

Swinging his legs over the edge of the king-sized bed, Kouga Uchiha cast one last longing look at his soft, warm cocoon of blankets and comforter and with a sigh, placed his feet on the floor. For once he was grateful, that he'd allowed his decorator's imagination freedom, instead of going for the idea of a hardwood floor he'd originally had. The soft, thick ivory rug felt nice under his still slightly numb from sleep limbs. He spent another moment enjoying the wonderful sensation and finally stood with a smooth, almost predatory in its nature grace. With a few confident strides, Kouga reached the master bathroom linked to his bedroom and, in a fluid motion, stripped of his boxers and entered the shower. The entire place was covered in black marble and silver. The massive bathtub with dozens of types of scented gels, shampoos and conditioners were all usually used in the evening, after a hard day's work. Turning the knob for the cold water, Kouga stepped under the icy stream and almost yelped, as he felt the last traces of sleep leave his body. After he made sure he was completely awake, he reached out and turned on the hot water, waiting for the stream to warm up. He washed his hair and body and, wrapping a fluffy white towel round his waist, exited the bathroom.

He soon stood before his massive closet, with the damp towel still on his shoulders, contemplating his choice of clothing for the day. Finally, he settled in a pair of skin tight, black jeans and a simple black wife beater. He donned the clothing over his customary black boxers and looked himself up in the full-sized mirror in the corner of the room. He smirked lightly as he took in his appearance. He loved black. One could say it was his obsession. When asked for the reason behind his love for dark colors and silver, he'd smile mysteriously, and change the topic. The truth was black reminded him of a certain person. Everything dark actually did. And silver was a reminder of the fact that even the lightest of precious minerals had a certain amount of taint in it in the form of a grayish tint, and still lost none of its luster and shine…Shaking his head to rid himself of the thought, Kouga reached out for his jewelry box with a frown. He put a simple silver earring with a delicate looking cross hanging at the end on his left ear, and a pair of black leather armbands to round up his look. Grabbing a pair of black running shoes and the denim jacket that went with his jeans, he exited the bedroom and crossed the large, ornately furnished penthouse, his destination- the elevator that would lead him to the lobby of the apartment complex.

Several minutes later found him revving up his bike, ready for a new day's worth of work. He was nothing but a black, shiny blur as he expertly dodged the morning traffic of Miami's busy streets. The wind played with the silver wisps of hair, mixing them with the shorter, darker strands. The wind blew harshly, as if trying to tear his jacket off his lithe form. He loved riding his bike without a helmet, it gave him a sense of freedom nothing could compare to.

Soon, though, sooner than he wanted to, he reached his destination. He pulled up in front of a massive building at least ninety storeys high, the glass windows shining in the morning sun. A large sign with the letters BAM was sitting proudly at the top of the building. It was located in the very heart of Miami, constantly surrounded by teaming, bustling life.

As he mounted off his bike, Kouga was unexpectedly glomped from behind, a shrill cry of "_Kouga!" _resonating painfully in his ears. Slim, tanned arms wove themselves around his torso, squeezing with surprising strength. Gasping for air, eyes wide and mouth slightly parted in shock, the young man tried desperately to catch his breath, while listening to his attacker's rapid talking.

"You _idiot _! You never listen, do you? I've _told _you to always wear your helmet when you ride that…that_ monstrosity_!" The voice continued, seemingly unaware of the person its owner was squeezing the life out of "How can you be so irresponsible?! What if something happened? What if you got in an accident with an ice-cream truck? Or swiveled off the road and hit a palm tree? Or even _worse_!" The voice was now frantic, histerically so, resulting in it raising to a higher pitch (how that was even _possible_ he didn't know; then again, it may have been the lack of oxygen to his brain making him imagine things) "_What if you got your head chopped off by a stop sign?!?!" _

Kouga was sure his ear drums had busted by now. Fortunately, he was saved by another voice "Well, if his bike doesn't kill him, the lack of oxygen as indicated by his blue face will." This voice was somber and serious. It was deep and definitely male unlike the higher, feminine one that still had Kouga in a death grip. "Let him have some air, Jojo, you'll suffocate him."

There was a squeaked "Sorry!" and Kouga was promptly released and collapsed in a boneless heap on the floor, gasping for air. When he had more or less gathered his wits, he looked up and saw an outstretched arm in front of his face. Looking higher up still, he found himself face to face with the man who'd probably saved him from a slow (not to mention embarrassing) death-by-hugging.

He saw a tall, brown- haired young man, wearing a pair of sunglasses, and dressed in a simple dark blue T-shirt and faded jeans. The man's skin was pretty pale, considering they _were_ in Miami, Florida. He wasn't anything special at first glance, but there was an aura of authority surrounding him, that made you subconsciously look twice in his direction if he passed down the street. His face and expression were solemn and serious, quite strange for someone who didn't look to be older than twenty one.

Kouga took the offered hand with a alight smirk and hoisted himself up. Dusting his jeans off, he turned towards the man and said in a slightly teasing tone "Why Mathew, darling! I didn't know you cared!"

That earned him a slight raise of an eyebrow and a response of "You know very well that even if I did care, the only reason I'd step in Jojo's way when she's on a sugar high is because otherwise Daniel would throw a hissy fit and nag at me 'till the Apocalypse, should something happened to you."

Kouga crossed his arms in front of his chest and raised his own eyebrow, smirking cockily, as if saying 'You know you care! Silly!', but in the next moment Mathew's words registered in his mind and he paled drastically, eyes wide with something akin to horror.

"Jojo…Jojo's on…on a s-sugar h-h-high?!" He squeaked out in the end. Mathew's gravely nod was enough of an answer. There was a sniffle behind him and he turned _slowly_, seemingly dreading what he would find there. And what he found was a young girl, about his age. She had tanned, smooth skin and sun-bleached blonde hair, falling down in thick, shiny waves to her waist. The girl had a gorgeous, curvaceous figure worthy of every man's drool and wet dreams, and brilliant green eyes, framed by thick lashes. She was wearing a short denim skirt, a beige tank top that left her belly button open and a pair of heeled sandals. She looked like your typical, blonde Miami ditz, but there was innocence and purity in those big, bright green eyes if hers, that could melt even the coldest of hearts. And right now, there were barely noticeable tears in the corners of her lashes and her gloss covered bottom lip was trembling slightly. She looked crushed.

But Kouga knew better. Jojo's (for that was indeed the aforementioned Jojo) mood swings when the girl was left in the presence of sugar, in any form and shape, weren't scary, they were _terrifying_. And Kouga'd seen a lot of terrifying things in his life. A Jojo on a sugar high was one of the worse. And just like he'd feared, the next thing he knew, he was tackled and lying on the ground with the blonde girl comfortably straddling his waist and wailing (once again) in his poor, abused ears.

"Whaaaaaaaaaa! Poor Kouga! Jojo's sorryyyyyyyy! Are you OK? Forgive meeeeeee! Whaaaa!" And she wailed, and wailed, and _wailed_…

"No, no, no!" He hurried to reassure her "I'm fine, see? I'm fine, Jojo, really I am! Just don't cry, _please_!" Looking at Mathew for help, he received only another slightly lifted eyebrow as an answer, clearly saying 'Save your own skin. I'm not about to let you drag me down with you.' Sending him his best glare, which looked a bit ridiculous, considering the situation he was in, Kouga continued soothing the distressed blonde. "I'm fine, Jojo, _really_!"

With a sudden, happy squeal of "OK!" he found himself free and blinking stupidly at the bright morning sky. Giving a resigned sigh, he got up, dusted himself off for the second time that day, and looked up the stairs leading to the entrance of BAM building. Jojo was already bounding up the stairs, humming a tune, all traces of her earlier tears forgotten. Kouga shuddered. Jojo's sugar-high-induced mood swings were _terrifying_.

Without turning his way, he murmered to Mathew, who was walking beside him "Where _is _Dan anyway? You _know_ he's the only one who can tame her when she's like this!" It's not that he didn't love her, on the contrary. She was one of his first friends since he'd arrived here. It's just that when she was under the influence of sugar, she was kind of…Well, the earlier incident said it all.

Walking up the steps with Kouga, Mathew answered in a calm, collected voice "He's already in the boss' office. I told him and Jojo to wait for me there. _She_ didn't listen."

Kouga rolled his eyes "Obviously!" He muttered under his breath.

Passing through the finely decorated lobby and with a polite nod to the blushing receptionist, who was eyeing Kouga hungrily from behind her desk, the boys were finally able to catch up with Jojo (now in her hyperactive mode) at the elevators. The bouncing girl flashed them a smile and they returned it, one smiling softly, the other nodding her way with a slight twitch at the corners of his lips. They entered the elevator and pressed the top button.

Once out, the three made their way down the hallway, until they reached a pair of huge, mahogany doors. The secretary that greeted them, smiled warmly in recognition, and said "Hi, guys! He's waiting for you inside."

Kouga returned the greeting "Thanks, Kattie. We'll be going in then." And with a polite nod, he pushed the doors open, walking in the office on the other side.

The room was _big_, there was no doubt about that. There were huge windows covering the entire surface of one of the walls, giving the warm sun rays the opportunity to spread their light. The floor was covered in a deep red carpet, complimenting the cherry wood desk that was located just under the windows. Dozens of gold and platinum records hung in frames on the walls, and the bare corners were covered with potted palm trees and other plants.

Behind the desk sat a slightly smiling man in a light grey Armani business suit, though the neckline was slightly loosened due to the warm temperature. The man had the customary Miami tan skin, a mop of messy black hair and a pair of twinkling blue eyes.

His smile broadened at the sight of the trio and he beckoned them over "Ah, finally! Come in, come in! Now the meeting can commence." His voice was just as friendly and carefree as his whole appearance suggested.

On one of the chairs opposite the man, stood another person. He looked almost identical to Mathew, who followed Kouga and Jojo further into the office. He turned and smiled, seeing the visitors. He had Mathew's pale skin and hair, but his eyes weren't covered by glasses. That left his twin orbs of bright amber open for the world to see. And whereas an aura of tense danger and authority seemed to constantly float about Mathew, this young man had a serene, peaceful air around him.

Giving a small wave, he spoke in a soft, warm voice "Hi, Mathew, guys!"

Grinning, the still hyperactive Jojo bounded over to his side, giving him a bone-crushing hug and an affectionate peck on the cheek "Dan, _darling_! How have you faired without me, sunshine?!" She squealed in delight.

Laughing nervously, Dan patted her on the head "Oh, I've been fine, Jojo, thanks for asking!" Peering at her worriedly, he added "Have you by some chance…err, I don't know, say, gotten your hands on the sugar supply? Again?"

Suddenly turning serious, Jojo stared into his face and spoke slowly, in a grave, solemn voice "Yes."

Dan shuddered. That meant only one thing- _mood swings_.

That got a raised eyebrow and a slight chuckle from the man still seated behind the desk "Keep an eye on her, Dan, you're the only one that can control her when she gets like this."

Kouga cleared his throat to hide an amused snicker at Dan's slightly paler complexion, while Mathew put a supporting hand on his brother's shoulder. Because yes, they were brothers. Twins, actually. And although they seemed identical in terms of physical appearance, in personality, they were complete opposites. While Mathew was calm, cool, and reserved, Dan was shy, kind and forgiving. They complemented each other, like yin and yang… 'Like light and darkness…' Kouga mused silently, trying to shake the creeping melancholy off. Anyway, as the older of the two, Mathew was fiercely protective of his younger brother. Kouga was pretty sure that he would be willing to maim and kill without remorse before he let someone touch a hair on Dan's head. The younger twin returned his brother's protectiveness with unconditional trust and love.

Taking in a deep breath to clear his thoughts, Kouga turned his intense eyes on the man in whose office they were standing "Hey, Jonathan. How's it going?"

"Fine, fine" Was the response.

"So, can you tell us why you called us here right after the promise of time off?" Mathew glared through his glasses "That last tour lasted months. We were told we'd have at least a week to relax."

"I know and I'm sorry." Jonathan said, looking apologetic "But it really is important." Flicking his gaze for a second in Kouga's direction, he continued "And I needed to tell you guys as soon as possible, so you'd be prepared. Some of you more than others."

"What is this _really_ about, Jonathan?" Kouga had noticed the fleeting glance and his curiosity was piqued as he was staring the man down.

Sighing, Jonathan got straight to the point. It was always better to get straight to the point when dealing with Kouga.

"You guys are the hottest band in the music world right now. Everyone wants a piece of 'Darkness' Light'. Everyone wants a piece of_ you_, Kouga. And although you've just come back from one, in all of your tours you've left out a certain country. And the studio is opening a branch there soon. The board can't thing of a better way of opening the new recording building than a live concert by our top band." During the speech, Kouga's eyes had gotten harder and colder by the second, his face an impossible mask to read. The tension in the room had risen drastically. Still, Jonathan had to finish what he was saying "I'm sorry, Kouga, but 'Darkness' Light is going to Domino, Japan. It's mandatory." Seeing the concerned looks sent the young man's way by his friends and teammates, he added in a softer tone of voice "You know I wouldn't have agreed without asking you first, but the board didn't give me a choice."

A moment of silence passed. Even Jojo was standing still, casting her dear friend a concerned look along with Mathew and Dan.

Getting worried, the younger of the twins spoke up "Kouga? You OK?"

With a shake of his head, Kouga turned to his boss and tried to smirk his usual cocky smirk. He failed miserably. Seeing that, his face slightly fell, but he answered nonetheless.

"I'm fine guys, don't worry. It's for the band, right? And we'll all benefit from this?" At Jonathan's hesitant nod, he brightened "Well then, what's the problem? We're going and that's that!"

Jojo spoke up, still worried "Are you sure, Kouga?" She and the others knew the reasons he'd left his hometown and was unsure as to whether he was feeling ready to return yet. Biting her lip, she continued to speak for all of them "You don't have to. If you don't feel that you're ready…"

He cu her off before she could continue "Of course I have to! Didn't you hear about the board's decision?" He was a bit harsher than he'd intended, but he couldn't help it. Memories of a kiss full of love and desperation, and wide, blood red eyes danced in his mind's eye. He groaned mentally, trying to push the memories away.

"Well, if you're sure…" Jojo trailed off, still unconvinced.

Kouga smiled reassuringly at her and his other friends "Yeah, I'm sure."

Silently, so silently no one heard him, he added "At least…I _hope_ I'm sure…"

**Well, another chappie! Again, thanks to all my reviewers! I won't list them all, but they know who they are, so, yeah…Thanks, you guys! Thanks a lot! It means quite a bit that you like my writing. You inspire me! _hugs and kisses the now highly disturbed reviewers_**

**Now, for those who are confused about Kouga Uchiha…Remember last chapter? Yugi mentioned his new identity at its end. Plus, all the hints from this chapter should have helped you figure it out, but if you haven't. Kouga is Yugi after the 5 year time lapse I was talking about. Now in the next chapter, you'll find out how he came to be in a band and we'll take a peak in the lives of Yami and the gang, still through Yugi's eyes. I know that a Yugi-in–a-band plot is a bit overused, but bear with me. I've wanted to write one for a while now.**

**As for the boy x boy sex some of you asked me about, have patience! That _will _happen, but later in the story, after the new and better Yugi is introduced. There _is _a plot after all, no matter how over-used it may appear. It isn't _all _about the sex, though I myself am a rabid yaoi fangirl. So just, please, be patient. Thank you!**

**Disclaimer:**

**Don't own_ sobs pathetically in a corner_**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

'Funny how life is' Mused a slightly melancholy Kouga 'I left to grow up, to be mature enough…all for _him_. But did it work? Before, five years ago, I didn't feel this uncertainty, this unreasonable fear to face them all.' Sighing bitterly, he turned his eyes to his left and gazed out the small window of the private plane that was soaring several thousand feet in the air 'Sure, I'm more independent than ever now, people take me seriously and treat me with respect…men and women _drool_ over me, getting aroused at a mere photo of me…' At the last thought he smirked a bit 'But is it enough?'

Leaning back in his luxurious seat, he looked around. The jet was really something. It wasn't the biggest or the most expensive one they had, but it was Kouga's personal favorite. Its interior was mainly in black and silver, his, and thus the band's signature colors. There were several more seats that looked more like comfy leather armchairs than plain seats, and a medium sized table between them. The floor was covered with a plush, soft black rug and various silver decorations were littering the surrounding area.

The people occupying the room were all asleep, some snoring softly. Jojo was spread over the laps of Mathew and Dan, the younger of the two's legs serving as a pillow, while the older was supporting the blonde's feet. All three looked content and happy. Jonathan was half sitting, half lying on another seat, a blanket covering his legs and the papers he'd been going through littering his lap. He, too, was napping and mumbling incoherently about contracts to be signed and meetings that needed his immediate attendance.

Kouga smiled softly at the scene, an expression that was rarely seen on his face 'Whatever the case may be, one thing I'll never be sorry about, is meeting those four. They let me into their company, accepted me as _me_…' Closing his eyes, he let himself be carried away by the fond memories…

_It had been hard. Harder than anything else he'd ever had to face, leaving Japan and his friends (even if they never saw him as anything more than a child), his yami…But it had been something that had needed to be done. Knowing that he'd had his grandfather's approval had helped him immensely._

_Seto had done well on his promise. He'd settled in the small, but comfy apartment provided for him without much hassle. He'd been offered much more spacious and expensive choices, but he'd declined. After all, he'd wanted to blend in at first, and a teenager living on his own in a luxurious apartment hadn't seemed as the best way to go about the matter. _

_He'd had a few days to get himself comfortable with his surroundings before he started his new school and he'd decided to use them to permanently cut off any ties with his previous identity. If his friends decided to look for him, his appearance would have helped them. Tri-colored hair wasn't a very common trait, after all. So he'd decided to go for something just as flashy, but at the same time – different. The blonde bangs had been dyed their exact opposite, silver, and the maroon tips of his spiky hair had been chopped off. The work hadn't been much, but the end result had been astounding. Without the maroon tips, the black in his hair had really stood out and accentuated beautifully the silver bangs, falling slightly in his eyes. He'd looked completely different. He'd decided to keep his leather and black fetish, both because punk was a common look in the US, and as a reminder of the man who held his heart. _

_His new school had been OK. There hadn't been any troubles to speak of and the bullies had backed off once his self- defense classes had started to pay off. He'd been determined to be at least able to protect himself by the time he returned home. He hadn't made any friends to speak of, but there had been on- Jojo…She'd been the only one to approach him and say 'Hi' at his first day. They'd been close since then. He' come to love her happy-go-lucky personality, it had reminded him so much of the person his friends and yami had expected him to be. She'd shown him around the city, taken him to the beach, introduced him to the wonders of night life in Miami…He'd discovered that loud music, grinding bodies and dim light helped somewhat dull the pain in his heart. While swaying in tune with the blaring music, the thick, hazy air and the smell of sweat and musk had pleasantly clouded his senses, which in itself had been a welcome distraction from the melancholy thoughts plagueing him at the time._

_The job that Seto__ had arranged for him though had come as a bit of a surprise. He'd been stationed as an assistant of one of the most influential record dealers in the music world, the boss of BAM studios himself- Jonathan Stevens. It had turned out that he had been given the position as a personal favor for Kaiba. 'Assistant' had in reality been a flashy name for delivery-slash-coffee-and-everything-else boy, but Kouga (as he had been known to everybody for some time now) hadn't complained one bit. The job had provided him with enough income and it had been in an area he'd loved his entire life- music._

_He had written lyrics for as long as he could remember, it had been his way to get rid of any negative energy and thoughts. And although nobody, not even his once-soul-partner had known of his little secret, he'd been pretty good at it. No one who he'd known in his previous life would have connected the melancholy and often times down right depressing music and lyrics with his usually happy and hyperactive personality, but then again, not many had known (or acknowledged) the real him. In any case, he'd been thrilled to know that he'd be working in an environment so closely related to his favorite hobby. Still, nothing could have prepared him for what had followed._

_He'd liked to take his music sheets with him to work to help relieve himself when the moments of homesickness would strike. It had been another relatively boring day, though he hadn't had the heart to complain, his boss Mr. Stevens (or Jonathan, as he'd been told to address him) and him had gotten along quite well. He'd been sent to retrieve some documents from the copy room and he'd just been rounding a corner, when he'd bumped into something hard and fallen flat on his behind. The music sheets he'd brought with him from home had spilled out of his open messenger bag and littered the entire area. Looking up, he'd seen a pale face, eyes covered by sunglasses and an eyebrow quirked slightly up. He'd allowed the young men to help him up and mumbled an apology, trying to gather his lyrics from the floor. The person he'd bumped into hadn't answered him and Kouga had glanced his way to find him holding a familiar piece of paper and gazing at it intensely. The next thing he'd known, he'd found himself being dragged by his arm straight into his boss' office by the strange man, whose name Kouga had later found out was Mathew Dimons, a guitarist who'd recently left his own band. _

_And thus, 'Darkness' Light' had been born. Kouga to this day couldn't get himself to believe how random and unbelievable his luck had been. He'd been asked by Jonathan to try singing one of the songs he'd written, and although it had still needed to be polished, the result had impressed the record dealer enough to give him a chance. Kouga had thus been properly introduced to the stoic Mathew and his rather shy twin brother Daniel (or more widely known as Dan), the former a guitarist, and the latter a synthesizer player, both seasoned musicians. They'd worked together for a long time and had had the necessary experience to make up for his still undeveloped talents. After unsuccessfully holding auditions for a drummer, Kouga had complained to Jojo in a moment of desperation, earning himself a wicked smirk from the girl. He'd then been literally _dragged_ by her all the way to the studio, where she'd proceded to show him that hyperactive nature and a good pair of drums equaled a new member of 'Darkness' Light'. In other words, Jojo had found her place in the newly formed band. _

_Kouga's lyrics, his band mates' incredible talents with their respective instruments, and Jonathan's amazing skills at introducing newbies to the music world, had all come down to the creation of their first album, 'Somewhere I Belong'. It had become an instant hit, their first singles taking siege of the charts. Kouga had soon found himself chased by reporters, critics and fans (girls _and _boys) and proclaimed a sex god (thanks to several growth spurts, the intense Miami sun and his almost daily workouts at the gym) by magazines and questionnaires. It had become hard to get to school without being overwhelmed by mobs of rabid fans. In short, 'Darkness' Light' had been an overnight success. Tours, interviews and concerts had followed, keeping Kouga's days busy._

_But at night the memories and feelings had been returning with a vengeance. Tossing and turning in his empty bed, he'd been haunted by visions of ruby red eyes, smooth, tan skin and the smoldering heat of hot breath on his lips. His link with his yami, his love, had been closed off since he'd left, but that hadn't gotten rid of the memory of that single, desperate kiss they'd shared on that fateful day. He hadn't been able to sleep or even close his eyes without being assaulted by the hot, spicy taste of Atemu's lips he'd caught only briefly. It had gotten to the point that he hadn't been able to concentrate on his work and had worried his few new friends. They had gotten very close for the short time they'd been together, Kouga being the glue that held them. Thus the rest of his band had sent Mathew as their messenger. Surprisingly enough, he'd been the only one to get him to open up. Not even Jojo had had the cool presence of mind and patience the stoic man had when it came to dealing with Kouga. The young vocalist, when cornered, had finally broken down and cried his heart out, ashamed at the weakness he'd shown. Mathew had simply held him and listened to his incoherent babbling, never once accusing him of anything. That same night had been the first time they'd slept together. _

_Their relationship had been passionate and unexpected, but not unpleasant in the least. Mathew's touch, his kisses and caresses had helped Kouga forget for at least a moment the intense red he'd wanted to see in place of the guitarist's softer amber gaze. His at-the-time lover had been by his side, comforting him in his own stoic way, when he'd faced his small circle of friends and told them the story of a boy named Yugi Mutoh and the golden puzzle he'd solved. Kouga had been more than surprised that they hadn't sent him to the insane asylumn but had instead believed and accepted him. Mathew had helped ease the pain on the lonely nights, when the memories would became too much and only the guiyarist's warm embrace and hot lips could chace the nightmares away. It had been passion and comfort all in one. But their relationship hadn't lasted long. Right after the release of their second album, Kouga had decided to end it. He'd felt that he'd been unfair to his band mate. He'd realized that Mathew, no matter how hard he'd tried to hide it, had started developing feelings that had been too deep for him to return. He'd cared deeply for him, yes, but he'd known that his heart hadn't been his to give away. Mathew had known it too, and understood his reasons. Kouga had just been glad that their friendship hadn't suffered the break up of their intimate relationship. The aloof and detached guitarist had always reminded him of Kaiba, what with his overprotective nature when it came to his brother and his stubborn refusal to show his feelings. He'd cherished even that small piece of home he'd found in this foreign land._

_Later on he'd had other lovers, though none of them had lasted longer than a few weeks. He'd never been able to forget Atemu and a part of him was glad for that. He'd always tried to keep in mind that all of his hard work, in the end, came down to gaining his yami's acknowledgement. His new family had understood and supported him, although Jojo, Dan, Jonathan and_ especially_ Mathew hadn't been thrilled at how his former friends had treated him._

_During this entire time, Kouga had kept in touch with life in Domino City through his grandfather and Seto. He'd been told that after his departure things had gotten quite hectic. Atemu had been devastated. A frantic search party had been organized and Kouga's former friends had apparently participated. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), no clue had been found on his whereabouts. Kouga had had trouble getting the last part, since Seto had been cackling maniacally when he'd described the search party's futile attempts. It had seemed that the young CEO had enjoyed watching the show. Kouga had confirmed once and for all his long time suspicions- Kaiba was indeed a sadist. After a few months, the search party had given up. The only thing that had kept Atemu from sinking completely into his depression had been the knowledge that even though the mind link had been blocked, his hikari was at least alive. That and the light's vague promise to one day return. The yami, to Kouga's knowledge, still lived with Sugoroku at the game store, helping the old man out. The light had been happy to know that, his worries for his grandfather had been at least partially alleviated. The old man hadn't been alone, after all._

_Sugoroku had been instructed to keep quite and under no circumstances reveal that he'd known of his grandson's departure. Kouga had kept his word and written his grandfather weekly, reporting his progress. The letters had been signed using his new identity, so there had been no danger of anyone making the connection between Sugoroku's apparent lack of worry for his only living relative's disapearence and the constant flow of letters. The old man had been extremely proud of him when he'd heard of 'Darkness' Light' and the band's success and had even managed to attend his graduation. He'd covered his absence with an archeology dig for Atemu's sake. Even Seto and Mokuba had visited a few of his concerts. If possible, the younger Kaiba had grown even fonder of him. Mokuba now worshiped the ground he walked on and was probably the band's greatest fan. He'd been thrilled when he'd finally gotten to meet the rest of Kouga's friends. Needless to say, Seto hadn't been very happy with his little brother's newly developed taste in darkly colored clothes (which Yugi thought was a bit hypocritical, considering that all the young CEO wore under his light trench coat was black)._

'All in all' he summarized, coming back from the world of memories 'Life has been relatively kind to me so far.' Glancing at his still slumbering companions, he thought fondly 'If anything, I got to meet these four. My family…'

The plane jolted slightly and Kouga heard the pilot announce that they'd be soon landing. The announcement woke up Jojo, who rolled over sleepily and tumbled to the ground from her position on Dan and Mathew's laps, groaning softly. Mathew just cast her a _look_, lifting an eyebrow, while Dan worriedly asked the dazed blonde if she was OK. Jonathan meanwhile was frantically trying to stuff some documents in his briefcase.

Kouga chuckled softly to himself, turning back to watch the rapidly approaching land of Japan out the window as the plane descended 'Yup, definitely glad to have meet _those_ four.'

Later, as he finally stepped out of the airport, surrounded by hoards of screaming fans and reporters, he felt a reassuring hand land on his shoulder, squeezing gently. He turned and was met with the site of a pair of black shades.

"You're ready. I know you are." The steady belief in Mathew's voice caused him to inwardly smile. On the outside, he just smirked and replied.

"It doesn't matter now does it? Ready or not, here I come!" He looked around Mathew and saw Dan and Jojo staring at him with proud and confident smiles on their faces, and Jonathan trying with all his might to help the airport security keep the rabid fans away from the band.

Kouga knew that no matter what was in store for him, he'd get through it with the help of those people, those people that were like a second family for him. His doubts and hesitations evaporated like a drop of water under the scorching Egyptian sun.

"Let's go." And with that, he headed for the black limo waiting not far away.

'I'm back, Yami. I'm back.'

**Well, another chapter done. I realise it was a little low on action, but I couldn't think of another way to report the events in Domino or how 'Darkness' Light' was created without abandoning Yugi's point of view except with musings and the sort. The details will be revieled in later chapters as flashbacks or memories. If you have any questions, feel free to ask! Please, review and tell me what you think. Next chapter I'm thinking of having Seto make an appearance and maybe move up the inevitable confrontation between yami and hikari. How about that?**

**For all those who reviewed my fic, a BIG 'Thank you'! I enjoy your opinions immensely! It's good to know what people who read my story think. You **_**inspire**_** me, people!**

**P.S.**

**Criticism, advices and ideas are always welcome!**

**Disclaimer:**

**I DO NOT OWN YU GI OH! There, happy now?! **_**Sobs miserably **_**Now look what you did! The tears are blurring my vision and I can hardly type! **_**Whaaaaaaaaaaa!**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Important! **

**Now, I realize that I usually put my notes at the end of the chapter, but this is too important for that. First of all, I'd like to apologize for taking so long to update, but I took my SAT exam just today and I simply didn't have the time to finish this damn chapter! On the other hand I made it pretty long, as a sort of compensation. Hope you like it. Any way, just wanted to let you know that I have another SAT coming up soon, so I'll be under some pressure and won't be able to update very often. Please, bear with me. I promise to do my best. Thanks to all who reviewed, I **_**really **_**appreciate the support. As always, constructive criticism and suggestions are welcome! Toodles!**

Chapter 5

The limo ride itself had taken only about twenty minutes. It had taken about an_ hour_ to get through the mob of screaming fans, though. Jonathan hadn't gone through the trouble of keeping 'Darkness' Light' and their arrival in Japan a secret, but he hadn't tried to promote the unexpected concert either. Nevertheless, the horde of admirers and reporters had been impressive. Fortunately, the band had made it to their ride with only minor losses (more precisely- Kouga's favorite leather jacket and a fistful of Jojo's blonde locks missing).

They had arrived at their hotel without further complications and after a 'Goodnight!', they'd gone their own way, heading to their respective rooms. They had all been too tired for anything else but sleep. All that is, but a certain lead singer.

Kouga was having trouble falling asleep. The earlier doubts were coming back full force now, in the empty darkness of his room, despite the knowledge of his band mates' support. He tossed and turned in his luxurious, king sized bed, occasionally glancing at the clock hanging on the wall to his right.

'Ra, this is ridiculous!' He thought, when he noticed it was about three in the morning 'I don't believe this! Where did my cool, apathetic exterior go?!'

It was grating his nerves, the fact that the years of gained maturity and calm detachment were so happily flying out the window at the mere prospect of seeing his yami and, possibly, ex-friends again. He was angry, _pissed_ at himself actually, for being so weak. When he'd boarded the plane for Japan, he'd done so with the conscious thought that he would be facing the man of his warm, fuzzy and lustful feelings again soon. He'd told himself that he'd never be readier than he was now.

'But all that bullshit isn't helping me much now, is it' He thought to himself with a derisive snort 'I'm still scared shitless!' With a sigh, he turned on his side, staring blankly at his dark room.

The suite was enormous. It was more of an apartment really, with its own living room, bedroom, a huge bathroom equipped with a Jacuzzi and covered with marble, _and_ a fully equipped bar. The hotel staff was at his disposal, ready to tend to his every need and whim, and his friends were on the floor just bellow his.

And still he felt excruciatingly alone and vulnerable in the spacious hotel suite. It was an annoying feeling, gnawing at his insides, that he was all too familiar with. It was something he was used to dealing with, something that had been plaguing his mind and soul for five years straight now. The feeling came from the spot that he'd been trying to block for as long as he'd become Kouga Uchiha and left Yugi Mutouh behind- his once link with Atemu, his yami. You couldn't get any closer with someone than by sharing your body (literally) with them, after all. And to know the warmth and closeness of one such bond and then lose it…It was _painful_, that's what it was.

But he was used to dealing with the pain as much as possible. He'd had to, if he'd wanted to accomplish his goal at independance and maturity. So, this restless night, he did what he'd done every lonely moment. He ignored it and tried his best to think of something, _anything_ else, that would exhaust his mind enough for deep, dreamless sleep to take him.

He focused of his meeting with Seto the next day. The CEO had been the only one to be informed of the band's upcoming concert in Domino, even Sugoroku was unaware. Kouga had wanted to surprise his grandfather, so he'd tried his hardest to leave the old man in the dark about the unexpected visit. Kaiba and Mokuba, on the other hand, he'd known he wouldn't be able to catch off guard. The latter was probably the band's biggest fan _and_ the former's little brother, after all. There were very, _very_ few things that eluded Seto's attention. So, Kouga hadn't been surprised at Kaiba's call just before he'd left the US, and his request (more like order) to meet him. Although the two former rivals had grown fond of each other over the years and had learned to lead a conversation without it always ending in a challenge of some sort, the underlying desire to best the other, to be the victor, was still there. It was silly, in Mokuba's opinion, but hey! That's just the way two people too stubborn to show their affection for each other acted.

Kouga closed his eyes and felt a smile tugging at the corners of his lips at the memories of all the useless bantering he and Seto had done through the years and the funny, exasperated faces Mokuba had pulled at their antics. The distraction worked and he soon felt himself slip from the world of the conscious.

And although he'd hoped for a peaceful, dreamless night's rest, his mind was once again haunted by gleaming red eyes, panting hot breaths and smooth, sweat-slicked skin against equally smooth, sweat-slicked skin. Somewhere in the recesses of his consciousness, he noted that he'd need a cold shower in the morning.

The noon sun was shining merrily, flooding Domino City's streets with its bright light. The sky was clear, not a cloud hindering the azure blue. The city itself was bustling with activity as the people inhabiting it went on with their daily lives. Children were playing in the park, laughing and enjoying themselves without a care in the world, as their parents watched on the sidelines. The streets were crowded with cars and other vehicles, the heavy traffic typical for that time of day.

It was just times like this that Kouga was glad having insisting on taking his favorite black baby with him all the way from Miami. The bike wizzed through the small spaces in between the larger vehicles effortlessly, the slick machine and its rider nothing but an inky blur and gust of wind for the startled pedestrians. Kouga revved his favored mode of transportation (or 'the Coffin on Wheels' as Jojo liked to call it) and grimaced in distaste at the fact that he was late.

'Well, it's not _my_ fault the goddamn rehearsal took longer than expected!' He gulped, imagining Seto's reaction when he _did_ get to their meeting place and sped up even more 'I'm sure he'll understand! I mean, he likes me, right?..._Right?_'

Somehow, he had trouble believing that himself. But it really _hadn't_ been his fault! This morning they were supposed to go over the songs for the concert that was due in about a week, and he'd been sure they'd be over by ten. Well, Jonathan, being the _perfectionist _that he was, had stalled him for two whole fucking _hours _more! The man was really something. 'Darkness' Light' was BAD's best band out there at the moment and Jonathen had taken the position of manager all by his jolly self, claiming that no one knew the business better than him. And while that was true, the man could sometimes be so infuriatingly _detailed _about his duties. It was maddening! By the time they'd gotten things to his liking, Kouga had been ready to tear his hair out in frustration. That, or wring Jonathan's neck with his bare hands. He guessed the latter would have brought him more satisfaction.

So now, not only was he late for his meeting with the prissy Kaiba Corp CEO, but he would have to rush things if he wanted to still have enough time to visit the game shop and his grandfather. And Yami.

He didn't want to admit it, but he was still slightly nervous about the upcoming encounter. For he knew one was unavoidable. It had been long enough, whether he felt ready or not. Would his darkness recognize him? Would he find the changes sufficient? Would he _acknowledge_ those changes, or would he still be treated like a naïve child? He didn't think his longing heart would survive the last part.

Shaking his head slightly to rid himself of the depressing thoughts, he again took note of his surroundings and realized that he was nearing his destination. The park on his left gave way to a series of small, homey shops and diners all lined up one after the other. The scenery whizzed past him and he barely had the time to spot the cozy little outdoors café where Seto was supposed to be waiting for him. He abruptly hit the brakes and parked his baby where he'd be able to see it at all times. He loved his shiny black bike, after all!

As he'd suspected, Kaiba Corp's CEO was already expecting him, his usual scowl in place and his leather clad boot tapping impatiently on the floor. A bouncing, chipper Mokuba was waving cheerfully at him.

"This way, Yu…err Kouga! This way!"

Smirking slightly, Kouga dismounted his bike and approached the duo.

"Hey, Mokuba! How's it going?" Turning to the older of the two brothers, whose eyebrow was by now twitching madly, he grinned evilly and continued "Why if it isn't my very own, fucking sexy CEO! Impatient for your favorite singing sensation, my dear, dear Kaiba boy? So sorry if I made you and your _fabulous _ass wait!"

Kouga just _loved_ to get a rise of the billionaire. It was just so _easy_! Not to mention the pretty, slightly unnatural colors the man's face could turn! With his otherwise pale complexion, it was highly amusing.

Seto's twitch was now more like a partial face convulsion and he _was _in fact sporting a pretty, slightly maroonish shade of purple. Growling low in his throat, Kaiba grabbed his former-archnemesis-now-turned-friend-but-still-sometimes-rival by his arm and dragged him to their table, doing his best to ignore Mokuba's snickers and Kouga's maniacal cackles. Mumbling something that sounded suspiciously like '…damned horny brats, damned evil traitor of little brothers, damned world, damn me and my big, soft heart…', he plopped rather un-Seto like (in other words like a sack of potatoes) on his chair and faced the still snickering duo.

"If you're _quite_ done?!" He finally snapped.

"Yeah, yeah…" Kouga waved his rival-slash-friend's glare away "So, what's up, Seto? You sounded pretty tense on the phone. Anything wrong?"

Sitting straighter in his chair, Kaiba schooled his expression into a blank mask. Even Mokuba seized his incessant cackling and turned somber. Noticing the change in the mood, Kouga's eyes lost all their previous traces of mirth and turned into a pair of glacial gems. He knew that Seto really _must_ have had an important reason for contacting him so urgently. Normally, they tried to avoid such public meetings. There was a high possibility that they'd be spotted together and rumors would start flying. Especially here in Domino, where not only Kaiba's appearance was better known than in most other parts of the world, But Kouga's former friends roamed the streets.

"I heard you were going to have a concert here in the coming week." The young CEO started carefully "Live, here in Domino."

Kouga nodded his head once. He could already see where this conversation was going.

"Yeah, the board decided that BAD's best band would be the perfect good luck charm for the opening of their new studio."

Seto leaned forward and folded his arms on the table in front of him, never braking eye contact with the young boy he'd helped years ago. Mokuba watched silently from the sidelines, knowing better than to get in his brother and Yugi…_Kouga's_ way, when they were discussing something obviously important.

"So, the board _made_ you come back then?" Seto continued "You had no say in the matter?"

"They don't know, Seto." Kouga started softly "The only ones to have the whole story are the gang and Jonathan. You know that."

"Still, you came back. Not by your own choice, might I add. And you _know_ you could have refused. You're their golden chicken, after all- you sell more albums than all of their other contracts combined."

Kaiba's voice was still calm and quite, but it was also getting colder with each word. Kouga, though, knew that was just Seto's way of showing concern. He was well aware that the past few years had earned him a place in the cold CEO's heart and in the billionaire's eyes, the singer was like another little brother, despite his hard gained maturity. He couldn't help but be a little protective, even thought he knew how much his ex-rival hated being treated like a child. So, he tried to discuss things with the slightly younger man, instead of ordering him round and making his decisions for him. He knew better than to repeat the mistakes of those who had caused Mutouh to shrink away and make way for Uchiha.

Kouga reached out and gently placed his hand on top of that of the rigid billionaire's, interrupting his tirade.

"Seto, stop. No, I couldn't have refused." At Seto's incredulous look, he added "While it's true that 'Darkness' Light' sells better than any other BAD band at the moment, it's also true that I've postponed concerts and tours in Japan for long enough. Sooner or later, someone would have gotten suspicious of my avoiding the country and started digging around. And that's the last thing I want _or _need."

At Kaiba's more or less subdued expression, he leaned back in his chair and continued.

"I want to come clean with everyone on my own. Not by being forced to do so by a nosy reporter, cornered and with no other choice."

Seto regarded him for a moment and then slumped slightly (_very _slightly), though whether it was in relief that the young man before him realized what he was getting into, or defeat, Kouga wasn't sure.

"Besides, the board can be _very _persuasive. You know that, you have one of your very own!" His attempt at humor didn't move Seto's stony face. Kouga didn't expect it to anyway.

After a short, tense pause, the CEO spoke up again.

"You know you'll have to face them. _Him_." It wasn't a question.

Kouga, seeing that his friend wouldn't pursue the matter, relaxed and smiled a little. It was a bitter smile though. He couldn't remember the last time he'd genuinely smiled, with no sadness or strain behind the action.

"Yeah, I know."

"And you're ready." It was said with the same flat tone.

"No." There was a certain tension in the voice "But on the other hand, if I keep delaying, I'll never be ready."

From there on that particular topic was dropped. They changed the subject, each realizing that there wasn't any use poking at it more. Mokuba now actively joined the conversation and happily chatted away with an equally talkative Kouga now that the tension was somewhat gone. Seto didn't say more than ten to twenty words and instead stood passively, his features blank and seemingly uninterested. But that wasn't anything new to the younger pair, as they had gotten used to it, and they had a blast, catching up on each other's lives. They conversed animatedly, with Mokuba shooting question after question at an amused and slightly worried (he didn't think the younger could go on with the rabid pace of words without breathing for much longer) Kouga answering as many as he could. The conversation didn't stray in any sensitive directions, for which the singer was grateful. By the time they were done (or to be more precise, by the time a once again twitching Seto Kaiba dragged his little brother away by the collar of his shirt), it was nearing four in the afternoon. Kouga said goodbye after _politely_ inviting the duo to his concert ('You better show up, Kaiba, or I'll find you and rape that sweet little body of yours!' that was followed by more twitching and a metal briefcase aimed for his cranium). All traces of his bad mood had disappeared and he was ready for his next and, hopefully last, task for the day. He was going to visit the game shop.

With a 'Ra help me', he revved up his baby and sped off.

'Has it _always _been this…_colorful_?' Was the first thing his brain could come up with after a few minutes of staring at his childhood home.

The Turtle Game Shop hadn't changed one bit. It was still the same cheerful combination of colors as it always had been, the warm and welcoming aura coming off in waves. The door was shut, but the 'Open' sign signaled that the small shop wasn't closed yet.

Kouga had parked his bike on the opposite curb and was now getting his guts together, preparing himself for a confrontation he knew he couldn't avoid much longer.

'Well, it would be better if I approached him first anyway. Won't do if _I _was the one to be caught off guard, after all.' And with that thought firmly in mind, he crossed the street with a confident strut, that earned him a few lustful stares and drooling mouths, and entered the small shop.

The inside had changed just as much as the outside, he decided, meaning not much. There were a few new games and cards on display and the walls seemed freshly painted, but other than that, it was the same cozy little place he remembered it to be. The cash register stood just where it once was and a group of dust particles swirled in a complicated dance in the rays of the late afternoon sun coming in through the windows. The bells above the front door jingled merrily, signaling his arrival.

Kouga looked around, but didn't see anyone. Frowning, he was about to shout out for someone, but was interrupted by an old, slightly raspy voice coming from what he remembered as the storage room in the back of the shop.

"Just one moment, please!" Came the voice, followed by a slight grunt "Feel free to look around, I'll be there in a sec."

Smirking a smirk_ any_ psycho yami would be proud of, Kouga kept quite and decided to look around some more. He couldn't wait to see his grandfather's expression. He felt slightly better now that he knew Atemu apparently wasn't there at the moment. He just hoped Sugoroku didn't have a heart attack or something when he saw him.

A few minutes and several grunts later, he heard the same warm voice coming now from directly behind him.

"Sorry to make you wait, but we had a shipment recently and I hadn't had the chance to …"

The voice died down as Kouga turned around and his grandfather saw just who it was he was apologizing to. He grinned as the old man dropped the stacks of cards in his hands and turned as white as a sheet, his mouth dropping in astonishment.

"Hey, grandpa. How's it going?"

After several more minutes of silence, Kouga's grin turned into a concerned grimace. His grandfather was just standing there, staring in his general direction with a glazed over look on his face. Kouga was unpleasantly reminded of the look Marik's mind slave victims had.

"Uhh…Grandpa? Aren't you…you know…gonna hug me or something?"

As if slapped into action, the old man bellowed a "Yugi!" with all his might and the next thing the singer-slash-sex-icon knew, he was a tangled heap of limbs sprawled out on the floor.

"Yugi! I can't believe it! Why didn't you tell me you were coming?! I would have prepared, or…or…picked you up from the airport or _Why didn't you give me a warning?!_"

Laughing and trying to untangle himself from his overly enthusiastic grandfather at the same time, Kouga hurried to placate the old man.

"Grandpa, calm down for Ra's sake!" He exclaimed, his deep, sensuous voice startling the old man into silence "I wanted it to be a surprise! Jeez, you didn't need to _trample _all over me you know!"

After they both were up and on their feet, Sugoroku grinned at his grandson, finally getting a good look at him. And the boy...no…_man_, he reminded himself, was a site to behold. Dressed in a pair of black leather pants that seemed to be molded to his shapely thighs and hips, flailing slightly out at the bottom to allow freedom of movement (he _had _to navigate his bike _somehow, _after all) and a matching leather jacket slung over his shoulder, Yugi could really turn heads wherever he went. The only splash of color was in the form of a very, _very_ tight sleeveless crimson shirt, showing off his lithe, nicely muscled torso, ending just an inch or so above his belly button. The outfit was complimented by a few studded leather belts looped loosely around the slender waist and hips and a black choker with a silver anck hanging right in the hollow of his throat. A black wristband and numerous silver rings with a pair of slightly heeled boots finished off the look nicely.

Trailing his eyes up and down his grandson's body, the old man's grin widened.

"Dressed to impress, huh Yugi?" He piped up slily.

Kouga returned the grin eagerly. He knew he looked good, why hide it?

"Grandpa!" He started, feigning hurt feelings "You _know _I'm not one to fuck and tell!"

"No, you're one to _get _fucked and tell." Sugoroku deadpanned.

"True, true." The younger sighed dramatically.

His grandfather raised an eyebrow. Kouga couldn't help it, he giggled. As soon as the sound left his lips, his hands clamped over his mouth and he stared, wide-eyed and horrified.

"Did you just _giggle_?" His grandfather choked out, equally wide-eyed.

A moment of silence, and then they were both laughing their lungs out.

Kouga soon calmed down and watched his only living relative fondly, a soft, sad smile playing on his lips. He'd missed his grandfather. The man had always been there for him, ready to offer him his love and support. And although he'd never agreed to call him by his new name, he'd never accused him or blamed him for leaving. He'd stood by his grandson's decisions. Sugoroku had later found out about his feelings for Atemu and his yami's and friends' disregard for his mental maturity and had understood his reasons for doing what he'd done. He also knew of Kouga's life and growth as a person. To the young singer's surprise, he'd found out he could talk about _anything_ with his grandfather and not receive an ounce of judgment or condemnation, from his sexual and clubbing adventures, to his band's success and his new friends.

Sugoroku on his part was simply overjoyed to see his Yugi again. For no matter what new name the young men before him chose, he'd always be his Yugi. He'd grown, his grandson. In both looks and mindset, he'd grown. And although the old man was happy for his success and fame, he was also worried. He knew of the younger's conquests and flings, but he didn't have it in his heart to condemn him for them. Because he knew that no matter who it was that warmed Yugi's bed, the only one with the ability to do the same to his heart was Atemu. He'd watched his grandson through the years and realized that despite all the forced smiles and the incredible insight on life he'd gained, the absence of his his yami was slowly killing him from the inside out. So he was understandably happy to see Yugi here, in Domino. To him, it meant that the young man had finally decided to confront his past and get on with his future. With Atemu.

Half an hour later found them gossiping and bantering lightly over green tea and pastries. The topic of Atemu and the others was pointedly ignored and both were aware of it, but they were far too happy to see each other to really care. Sugoroku hadn't been able to excuse his sudden departures with archeological digs all the time and they hadn't really seen each other all that much recently. Finally though, the older man couldn't take it anymore. He had to know whether his Yugi's return was for good. He set his tea cup on the kitchen table and fixed his grandson with a stare.

"Yugi" He started, voice slightly unsure "Yugi, I think we've evaded the subject long enough."

Kouga returned the stare, calmly sipping at his tea. Lowering his cup, he said softly.

"I know. But it was good while it lasted, wasn't it? The evasion?"

"Yugi…"

"Yeah, grandpa, I know what you're gonna say. And to tell you the truth…I don't know."

At the man's questioning look, he elaborated.

"I don't know if I'm here to stay."

He couldn't stand the hurt look that briefly flashed across his grandfather's face, so he reached out and took a firm hold of the aged, slightly wrinkled hand.

"But it _is_ a possibility" The hand he was holding onto tightened around his marginally and Sugoroku lifted a hopeful gaze at his grandson "I know my absence pains you, grandpa, no matter what you say for my sake. And I should tell you now, that my coming here was _not _originally my idea. If it was up to me…Well, let's just say I don't know _when _I'd have gathered the confidence to come back. But since I _had _to come, I figured 'Hey, why not take the opportunity and make things right', you know? So, it pretty much depends, grandpa."

"Depends on what, Yugi?" The old man croaked out, not daring to get his hopes up, his throat suddenly as dry as the deserts he'd spent so much time in.

"On whether they can accept me for what I am now. On whether _he _can accept me for what I am. For _who _I am." His tone was soft, but firm. He had no intention of staying where he wasn't seen as the person he'd grown up to become and instead was only perceived as the ever naïve child, the endlessly innocent hikari. His longing heart couldn't, _wouldn't_ stand for it. He just knew it.

Before any more comments could be made, the bells from the shop downstairs jingled faintly. Sugoroku frowned. He was sure he'd locked the shop, and the only other with a key was…His eyes went wide (okay, maybe wid_er_) and he shot a glance in Yugi's direction. From the looks of it, his grandson had already put two and two together. His face though was completely blank and he was staring at the direction of the stairs leading to the game shop below them.

'Déjà vu' He mused 'That reminds me of the last time we saw one another. How ironic. How…_fitting_' He thought absentmindedly.

And just then, that voice, that dark, silky smooth voice called out.

"Grandpa! Why is the shop closed? It's still pretty early. Grandpa?"

Even though what was said was relatively irrelevant, the voice still sent shivers down his spine. How he'd longed for that voice. How he'd _ached_ for it. Countless nights of that voice moaning and groaning his name in the throws of passion came slamming down on him and he repressed a moan of his own.

Soon enough, the owner of said voice stood at the door to the small kitchen, the intense ruby eyes fixated on him with a strange look in them. One he couldn't identify for the life of him.

"Grandpa? I didn't know we were having guests." The eyes never left his.

Clearing his throat slightly, Sugoroku tried to find his voice and, eventually, spoke.

"This isn't a _guest _per say, Atemu…"He trailed off, not knowing how to continue.

But it wasn't necessary. Swallowing what felt like a fistful of sand to him, _Kouga_ fought to find his equilibrium and stood up with the grace of a leopard. The slanted red eyes followed his every move. Deciding that he wasn't in the mood (not to mention mental stability) to beat around the bush, Kouga figured that the direct approach was the best way to go about it. He spoke, his voice slightly more deep and husky than he'd intended it to be.

"Hello, Yami. Long time no see."

The ruby eyes widened and the stack of papers previously held in the strong, tan arms slipped out of now lax fingers, scattering gently on the kitchen floor.

**Now, I don't know if you'll need this clarified, but if you do, here goes. Sugoroku accepts Kouga's changes and growth, but he still thinks of him as Yugi. For him, Kouga doesn't exist. Only a slightly altered, better Yugi does. So when I write things from his perspective, Kouga will be addressed as Yugi.**

**Disclaimer:**

**I most officially and dramatically announce that I do not own Yu Gi Oh! or its characters!**

**I **_**do **_**intend to make their lives as yaoi infested as possible, though!**

**MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**

**What can I say, I'm obsessed.**


	6. Chapter 6

**This chapter will start a little before the end of the last. Confused? What I mean is that I'll try to depict what Yami first saw as he ****entered the game shop and set his eyes on the transformed Yugi for the first time. So, here we go!**

Chapter 6

Walking down the street towards the game shop, Atemu soaked up the last rays of the sinking sun with delight. The warmth reminded him of his once home in Ancient Egypt, when Ra would patrol the clear blue skies. Right now though, the sun was just about ready to kiss the horizon and step aside to make way for the stars and moon.

Atemu felt a bit jealous of the night, actually. At least _that_ darkness had its light, the inky black sky was free to protect it in its velvety embrace, meanwhile _basking_ in the soft, warm glow of the stars and moon. He…He didn't have that luxury. Not since…

He shook his head with a frown, desperate to get rid of the familiar by now sting behind his eyelids. He hated it, that weakening, selfish desire. Because he knew he was being just that- selfish. He wanted his light, _needed_ him back. He didn't know how much more he could take of his own suffocating darkness. It was getting harder with each passing day to keep the shadows at bay _and_ maintain his already fragile sanity. _He_ had been his anchor to the real world, his candle guiding him home, _he_…Ra, he couldn't even say his name anymore. And he knew it was all his own fault. He was to blame his light wasn't here now. That's why he knew he was being selfish, because he realized he hadn't performed his duty as yami, guardian and protector and he _still_ wanted his hikari back. Wanted him in his arms, in his possession, to hold, to take care of and to never, _ever _let go.

He continued walking; he was almost at the game shop now. It should still be open, but he fingered the spare keys in his pocket anyway. The game shop. His crimson eyes clouded over in remembrance, though his stride never wavered. He'd memorized the way _long _ago. So while his body went on its way on autopilot, his mind took a different route, to his hikari's emptied bedroom from five years ago.

_He was slowly swimming towards consciousness, his mind hazy, his senses dull and his limbs unresponsive. His memories were telling him to pull himself together fast, that there was something important missing, but for the life of him, he couldn't put his finger on the problem._

"…_mu! Do…u…hear…e…Atem…?!" _

_Someone was calling him, but who? The voice sounded familiar and he could tell that it belonged to a man. A man he was supposed to know? Oh, but his mind was still so terribly muddled! And besides, something was telling him he shouldn't leave his hazy state. Something, someone had told him to stay in this dark, peaceful place. And if it was up to him, he'd do just that._

_But it seemed that whoever was talking to him had other ideas. He could feel them shaking him now and despite his unwilling mind, he could feel his body and senses awakening._

"…_ow! You…ear me?! Now!...Wake up already!...ease, Atemu!"_

_He could clearly hear the voi__ce now and he wasn't a happy camper. He'd been told to sleep, and he'd been awoken! How dare they?! His hikari had told him to sleep, and now…_

_His eyes suddenly shot open and he sprang up from the bed he'd been lying on, already on the verge of hyperventilating. His hikari! Yugi! He remembered now! Oh, he remembered it all too clearly! He felt a like he was washed away by a massive wave of despair, confusion, anger and longing all at once. The intensity of all those feelings nearly sent him back into the dark void he'd just left. Next came panic and fright. He was terrified! How long had he been out? What if he was too late and his little light was already gone? A part of him (a very small part) still hoped and believed that it had all been a dream, a nightmare, that his Yugi was still here, safe and sound. But a quick check on the mental bond they shared literally _squashed_ that small part. The bond was still there, but it was closed off, barely there to his senses._

_He looked wildly around the room he was in and noticed Sugoroku sitting on a chair across from him, seemingly relieved, waiting for his panic attack to pass over. He realized that he had been lying on his hikari's bed. Last he remembered, he'd fallen on the ground…after…after the kiss…_

_Atemu groaned and trembled slightly at the memory of Yugi's soft lips on his in a soul-scorching, toe-curling kiss that had shaken his world. He didn't know what to think. What had his light's actions meant? There were so many confusing questions swirling inside his head, he soon felt himself loosing control of his shadow powers, causing every dark corner in the room to writhe and tremble. But he had more important things to do now! He could get his answers later. So, with a tremendous amount of will power, he reigned in his shadows and pushed his distracting feelings to the back of his mind. When he felt calm enough, he looked up and saw Sugoroku still sitting in the same spot, watching his face intently._

_Sugoroku! The old man _had _to know where his Yugi was! He was the boy's only family, he was bound to have told him of his plans! Feeling hope return to him, Atemu surged forward and grabbed the startled man's shoulders. _

"_Sugoroku! Sugoroku, quickly!" He was frantic, he knew, and judging by the older man's facial expression, he knew it too "There isn't much time! How long was I out?"_

"_I don't know, Atemu. I came back about an hour ago to find you asleep on Yugi's bed." He answered, laying a calming hand on the distraught ex-pharaoh's arm "It's dinner time now and I came to get you. You wouldn't wake up though, so I got a bit worried."_

"_Do you know where Yugi is? Have you seen him?"_

"_No, I'm sorry, Atemu. I haven't. Why? Is something wrong?"_

_At that, the one time ruler of Egypt paled further and dashed out of the room before Sugoroku could say another word. But no matter how many of his friends he got searching with him, no matter where he looked, he couldn't find him. There wasn't a trace as to the whereabouts of his precious hikari, his heart, his soul._

_And the worst thing was that the entire time he searched, the guilt and self-loathing never left him, but hung over his head, like an ax ready to descend. He remembered that night weeks ago, his light's eyes when he'd called him week, that bitter little smile expressing a strange mix of determination and resignation… And he couldn't help but blame himself. What if he'd been more persistent and made Yugi talk, what if he'd paid more attention, what if he'd noticed the closed link sooner… What if he'd never see his little love again?_

_And when his friends finally gave up the search and dragged him back to the game shop to get some rest, the ancient spirit of the Millenium Puzzle did something he'd _never _done before. He allowed his despair and guilt to consume him, broke down, and cried._

The sound of a tuck horn brought Atemu back to the present and he jumped out of the way of the speeding traffic just in time. He noticed, a bit startled, that while his mind had been wandering, his feet had carried him back to the small game shop. Sighing, he shook his head to clear it of the last of his depressing thoughts and looked at the sky. The sun was halfway sunken in the distance. He honestly didn't know what had brought those memories back. He'd long ago come to terms with the fact that his hikari couldn't be found. The only thing that had kept him going had been the knowledge that Yugi was at the very least alive and well.

He was a little surprised to find the door locked, but didn't pay much attention. Sugoroku had probably just been tired and decided to close up earlier. So, he fished his key out of his pants' pocket and opened the door. Distantly he noted the sleek black bike parked on the other side of the street. Atemu pushed open the door and called out:

"Grandpa! Why is the shop closed? It's still pretty early." There was silence "Grandpa?"

He didn't get an answer though, and he frowned slightly. Maybe the man _was _just tired and had decided to go upstairs for some rest. Yes, that was probably it. But he still decided he'd check, just in case. He grabbed some papers he needed to go over later this evening from beside the cash register and headed for the stairs, his heart beating faster and harder with each step he took for some reason.

He reached the second floor, but paused and stared at the direction of the kitchen. Some kind of strange feeling was telling him to head that way. He hesitated for a second, but then frowned again and strode purposely to the slightly ajar kitchen door. He could see light now, it was pouring in the dim hallway, and the tug was getting stronger. His heart was by that time thumping wildly in his chest. He was confused and agitated when he reached his destination, though as he finally pushed the door open all the way, none of his inner turmoil was visible on the outside.

The first thing he saw was Sugoroku, sitting at the kitchen table, a cup of green tea and some pastries in front of him. The old man was pale and looked ready to bolt. His eyes were even wider than usual and he was clutching his tea cup so tightly, his knuckles had gone white. As strange as Sugoroku's looks and behavior were, Atemu didn't linger on them for long. For beside the old man sat someone he was positive he'd never seen, but caused his right then insanely beating heart to literally stop for a moment.

The stranger was just an inch or two shorter than himself, but it was obvious he'd turn heads wherever he went. His eyes caught site of smooth, unblemished skin, only a shade lighter than his own. Sinuous curves and athletic built that were covered in leather tight enough to show off, instead of cover up. His gaze traveled over the narrow hips and lithe waist, lingering on the glint of silver near the pierced belly button, only to continue up to a chiseled chest and torso. The red eyes took in the dip of the slim neck and their owner had to swallow the sudden desire to allow his tongue to follow the same path. Atemu could feel his breath hitch in his throat. Whoever this person was, they were stirring things in him he hadn't felt since his days as pharaoh, when the most gorgeous concubines and pleasure slaves had been at his deck and call, ready to respond to his every whim and fetish. As his eyes traveled further up though, his mind went completely blank. Every blood sell in his body decided to travel south for the season. Pink, full lips, a straight nose and high cheekbones covered by skin that appeared as soft as silk, all framed by wisps of what looked like liquid silver contrasting with the rest of the hair that was as dark as the Shadow realm itself. It all made for a stunning picture on its own, but, oh Ra, those eyes! Those glorious pools of violet specked with grey and silver! They pulled you in them, hypnotized you with their inner glow!

He didn't know how long he just stood there and stared. Maybe it was hours, maybe it was but a few seconds. What he _did_ know though, was that this person was _oozing _sensuality from every pore of his body and it curled and twisted around him, somehow soothing his Shadows and healing his turmoiled mind with his very presence. Everything about him seemed erotic. From the thick, curved lashes to the long, slender fingers that looked like their only purpose was to give pleasure. Atemu had never been aroused this quickly and easily before. He caught himself longing to touch that glowing skin, yearning to caress the sensual curves, _aching_ to lick, kiss, bite, squeeze, thrust…

With all the will power he had left in the face of this seductive stranger, Atemu managed to wrench his mind out of the gutter and come back to the now and here. It took him a moment to collect himself and another to remember he wasn't alone in the room.

"Grandpa? I didn't know we were having guests."

He was proud his voice didn't waver, but he couldn't force his eyes away from the stranger, who seemed to be having the same trouble since the moment their eyes had locked. Still, something kept nagging at him. As sure as he was that he'd never seen the person before, he somehow felt as if he should know him. He absentmindedly noted Sugoroku nervously clearing his throat, before answering him.

"This isn't a _guest _per say, Atemu…"He trailed off, seemingly not knowing how to continue.

But it wasn't necessary, because the familiar stranger chose that moment to move and slowly stood up. And Atemu found himself out of breath again. The person had the grace of a feline, purposeful and confident. His muscles rippled under that incredibly soft looking skin, stretching to accommodate the movement. And the pair of red eyes soaked it all up with startling intensity.

It took Atemu a moment to realize he was being spoken to. When he did, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. The voice was low and husky and he found it fit this creature before him that seemed to be _created_ for sinful pleasure perfectly. He was brutally brought out of his delirious high though when the words registered.

"Hello, Yami. Long time no see."

That name…That name that was at the same time a definition of his existence…'Yami'…Only one person _ever_ called him that instead of his given name…He felt his eyes widen and hands go lax, as the papers he had forgotten he still had fluttering to the ground, landing at his feet.

He didn't care though. He didn't care. All he cared about was…

"Yugi…"

On the outside, Kouga remained calm and collected; on the _inside_ though, he was a reeling mess. He'd never considered the kind of impact a simple occurrence like his former name being uttered by Atemu could have on him. Hundreds of distracting thoughts and emotions assaulted his senses. He felt anger; he was Kouga now, not the (by his yami's own words) _weak_ Yugi. Joy; he apparantly hadn't been forgotten in the five years of his absence. Longing; he wanted to be held in those tan arms, drown in his Atemu's musky, spicy scent…

How he managed to keep his cool, he didn't know. He was rather proud of himself, actually. Instead of running in his other half's arms, he just looked at him coyly through his thick lashes and smirked slightly. He didn't smile. His real smiles had become so rare and in between, that he seriously doubted he remembered how to perform the simple action nowadays. Not looking away from the still form of the man that had plagued his dreams and thoughts for so long, he sashayed over until he was standing a foot or two away from his yami. He was so nervous, that he did the only thing that he could think of to prevent himself from glomping the man- he firmly pushed the traits that were solely 'Yugi' far, _far _behind, and made sure only 'Kouga' remained.

"Well, glad to see you haven't forgotten me. Though 'Yugi' isn't exactly right anymore." He stepped a little closer and leaned over until he was sure Atemu could feel his breath on his ear, and whispered, his voice low and husky "It's 'Kouga' now, Yami."

He had just enough time to revel in the obvious shiver that wracked Atemu's body, before he was grabbed firmly by the arms and pushed away roughly. He once again locked eyes with his dark and was a bit startled to see the shock and hope in the ruby depths replaced with scorching anger and accusation. The face was still pale, but when the yami spoke, his voice had a dangerous ring to it, like the owner was about to explode at the slightest catalyst.

"You were gone. For five years." More of a statement than a question, really. Kouga bit his lower lip subconsciously "Where? Why?!"

Atemu was lost. He couldn't believe that the sensuous person before him was his once innocent little light. The man was obviously anything _but_ innocent. At first he'd been understandably shocked and happy. After all this time, he'd gotten his hikari back! But the moment Yugi had leaned in to whisper in his ear in a decidedly intimate fashion… His previous emotions had been replaced by a blinding, consuming anger. What had his light done to himself?! This was not the Yugi he'd known! _His_ Yugi would _never _have acted, dressed or talked this way, he was certain. He wanted answers and he wanted them _now_!

Kouga broke free of the arms still holding him and stepped back. From the corner of his eye he noticed his grandfather making a hasty retreat, no doubt understanding the need for privacy. His eyes darkening, he turned his attention back to his now fuming yami. He felt his own anger rising, but managed to keep his cool outwardly. If anything, he hadn't been expecting _this_ reaction, nor did he like it. The time when _anyone_ could demand _anything_ from him was long gone.

"Away from here." His voice was just as low and collected as Atemu's "I told you last time we…talked."

Atemu's eyes flashed dangerously at the reminder of their last meeting, but he made no move to grab for his hikari again.

"We didn't talk. You ran away for no reason."

"I gave you your reason. Actually, _you _gave it to me in the first place. I was _weak_, remember?"

Atemu took a step forward, the anger on his face giving way to guilt. Kouga took a step backwards.

"You know perfectly well I didn't mean that, Yugi, how can you…"

Kouga cut in sharply.

"I told you, it's 'Kouga' now. And don't lie to me. I _know_ you meant it, even if you don't want to admit it to yourself. I _was_ weak. You were just the first to voice what we both knew to be true."

Atemu reached out a hand, getting desperate. This was _not _the way he'd imagined this reunion.

"Please, Yu…Kouga, don't…" He didn't know what exactly it was that he was asking his hikari. To forgive him, to stay, to believe him that if he could turn back time, he'd take back everything he'd said or done to upset him… He _did _know though, that he'd do anything in his power to keep him here, even call him that strange new name, if he had to. After all, a wise pharaoh has to choose his battles carefully.

Kouga held out his hand to stop whatever it was Atemu had to say. He hadn't come back to point fingers. He'd come back for a fresh start. Relaxing his features, he spoke softly.

"Don't, Yami. I didn't come here to determine who is at fault. The important thing is that I accomplished my goal. I _am _stronger now. I'm not the same person you once knew." The overwhelming misery and guilt in those red eyes he loved so much tore at his heart, but he was determined to say what needed to be said, so he pushed on "I'm still your hikari, Atemu. I'm still your light. But you'll find out that you'll have to get to know me all over again. I'm not naïve, nor am I innocent anymore. I never have been. I don't think you've ever known the real me, yami. Whether it was because you didn't want to believe I'm not all purity and childish ignorance or just couldn't see it, I don't know" He reached out and gently caressed his yami's smooth cheek "but I'm giving you a chance to meet the real me. Please, don't disappoint me again, Yami."

Slowly, Atemu lifted his hand and covered the slightly lighter one still on his cheek. He gazed deep into those captivating purple eyes he'd once thought he'd known so well, eyes now flecked with silver and grey, more narrow, but just as beautiful, if not more so. And he saw there a part of himself, of his very soul. He saw a spark of light and purity, shadowed by wisdom that came from having to face the harsh reality of the world on a daily basis, but still there, shining, bright and strong. He saw a flicker of the old Yugi, the person that had come to mean more to him than anything else in the world. And he vowed to himself that he would not repeat the same mistake twice. He would not let his light slip from his grasp a second time. He realized that it wouldn't be easy, that he'd have _a lot_ to come to terms with, but he never _was_ one to give up a challenge. If nothing else, the feelings of _fulfillment_ and _rightness_ that came from his light's touch told him as much.

Before he knew what was happening, Kouga found himself gasping for air in his yami's bear hug, his dark's face buried in the crook of his neck and his frantic Ancient Egyptian babbling in his ear. He hesitated for just a moment before returning the embrace just as fiercely, wrapping his arms around the strong shoulder amidst the never ending apologies and other incoherent nonsense without uttering a word himself. He hadn't opened their link yet, and he wasn't sure when he _would_, but he didn't need a mental connection with his other to know that despite his initial reaction from just a few minutes ago, Atemu was deliriously happy and relived to have him back. Kouga himself knew that their relationship was far from what it once had been, but was pleased with how things were going so far, despite the bumpy start. He doubted Atemu realized just how much he'd changed and the debths to which this change reached, but he hoped that when he did, he wouldn't be disappointed in his dark.

Several minutes (or hours, neither men were entirely sure) later, the initial shock of their meeting had worn off and given way to a slightly uncomfortable silence. They were now seated at the kitchen counter, Kouga in his previous seat and Atemu in Sugoroku's. There was tension in the air now, neither of them were sure where to begin. Five years of separation couldn't be erased with just a few apologies and endearments, after all. Both avoided looking at the other for long, instead settling for sneaking glances at one another from time to time. Finally, Atemu couldn't handle it anymore and decided to break the silence. They _had_ to start talking at _some_ point.

"I tried to look for you." He couldn't help the tiny amount of accusation that leaked into that statement.

Kouga looked at him at that and again Atemu found himself lost into those stormy pools of violet.

"I know." Was the quite reply.

"But I couldn't find you." The read eyes met the purple ones and the latter turned away at the formers' intensity.

"I know." Came the even more quite answer.

Atemu squeezed his tea cup a little tighter, his face darkening. They were dancing around the subject and he didn't like it. Even if it _was_ his fault Yugi had left, he still wanted to know where his hikari had been for all of those years. There were so many questions, and no answers…

"Yugi…" Kouga looked up sharply at the mention of his old name, but let this one slide. He didn't want to get into another argument. "Yugi, don't do this. Where were you?"

'So,' thought Kouga. 'going straight for the kill, are we?'

Aloud, he said:

"You couldn't find me because I wasn't in Japan, obviously. You may have once had the entire known world and its resources at your disposal, Yami, but nowadays…It's pretty easy for someone to disappear and hide, even from you." Taking a sip from his tea, Kouga looked straight at his dark and muttered "I was in the U.S.A Yami. On another continent altogether. No wonder you couldn't find me."

He noted that Atemu was now holding his cup so tightly, his knuckles had turned white. After a momen's silence, the yami spoke up again.

"And the link?" His voice was slightly hoarse and strained, as if he was barely restraining himself "Why was it closed?"

Kouga hummed a bit and smiled a bitter little smile.

"I couldn't have you using it to track me now, could I? Not before I was ready in any case. I still left enough of it for you to know I was safe and sound though. You just wouldn't be able to get anything more specific out of it."

Atemu looked down again at this and muttered, more to himself than to anyone else.

"That's what kept me going." At Kouga's curious look, he clarified "Knowing that you were at least alive and well. It's what kept me sane all those years."

At this the tension-filled silence returned. After a few more minutes, Atemu asked something that had been on his mind ever since the initial shock of his hikari's disappearance had worn off.

"Who, though?" Kouga tilted his head at this, silently urging him to clarify "Who helped you? I'm vaguely aware of how much it takes to create a new identity as you've obviously done, and I doubt you could have done it alone. Who helped you?"

Kouga frowned slightly at the underestimation of his abilities, even if back then it had been true. He wouldn't have been able to disappear so thoroughly on his own even if he could do it now. But he still didn't like it that Atemu was so sure of his deductions. No matter, he wasn't going to tell on Seto, the man had done a lot for him and he wasn't about to set an angry (_very_ lightly said) yami with Shadow monsters at his disposal on him. So he remained silent, sipping his tea and returning his dark's piercing stare.

After a while it seemed that Atemu understood he wasn't about to get an answer and thought it wise to change the subject.

"Alright then, can you at least tell me what you've been doing all of this time?" There, that seemed like a safe enough topic.

At this, Kouga smirked. He could answer that one. Sort of.

"Actually, I thought it best if I showed you, instead of telling you. It would be ever so much fun!"

Atemu waited, staring at him, but when his hikari did nothing more than take another sip of his tea, he raised an eyebrow and asked, his voice betraying his confusion.

"Well? I thought you were going to show me?" He was confused, was Yugi playing tricks on him?

"Oh, I couldn't possibly show you here!" The eyebrow rose higher "Hold on a second." He put his tea cup on the counter and slid his hand to the back pocket of his pants. His back arched a little in the process as he wriggled his fingers in the tight material. Atemu's ruby-red eyes glazed over a bit and that didn't go unnoticed by Kouga. With a wicked little smirk, he pulled out a small envelope and handed it over, breaking his dark from his trance-like state.

"What is this?" Asked the confused yami, fingering the envelope, the light flush on his cheeks still present.

"Don't open it until after I've left. Just know that I want you to come."

But Atemu wasn't satisfied.

"Can't you tell me _anything_?" He asked, his patience running thin.

"Well," Kouga hesitated " I can tell you that I grew up, in a way. I wasn't a kid when I left in the first place, but I met some people, learned some things…Generally, I finished the process."

He could tell his yami wasn't satisfied with the answer, but that was all he was giving away for now. He didn't want to completely terrify his poor dark and he _knew _that was exactly what would happen if he told him of the wild nights (and early mornings) he'd spent back in Miami at this point. He'd let him find the clues by himself, over time. After all, Kouga knew perfectly well how much his pharaoh loved riddles and games. He could already see the familiar spark of an accepted challenge burning in the red eyes.

Sighing, Kouga stood up and grabbed his jacket.

"It's getting late, I have to go. It's been a long day and I have to get up early tomorrow." It wasn't a complete lie. It _had _been a tiring day, what with all the bitching from Jonathan for breakfast, a moody Seto Kaiba and hyper Mokuba for lunch, and emo-filled few hours with Atemu for dinner. It was also true that he had to get up early in the morning (perfect concerts didn't just make themselves, you know!). He just let out that if he didn't leave_ now_, his yami was in danger of being tackled and raped. Gently, of course.

"What? I thought you were staying here!" Atemu sounded genuinely surprised.

Kouga froze for a second, but regained his control and spoke, his voice calm and cool, not giving away any of his inner thoughts.

"You thought wrong. Let's not kid ourselves, Yami. Our relationship is nothing like it once was. Heck, I don't even know if it will _ever_ go back to the way it was. There's too much you don't yet realize about me. I wouldn't feel comfortable staying here."

He threw on his jacket and paused at the kitchen door.

"I'll see myself out." In a slightly softer voice, he continued "Open the envelope once I've left. If you decide to come, you'll get some of the answers you're looking for, even if you don't like all of them. Think of it as a game."

And he left.

Atemu didn't move from his place at the kitchen counter, too stunned for words. He stood there, gazing at his now cold tea with unseeing red eyes, the envelope Yugi had left next to his still hands. Only when he heard the sound of an engine from the outside did he move. He walked over to the window and peered out, noting the now familiar willowy form astride the sleek black bike he'd noticed earlier.

'Hm, at least I know we don't have any new neighbors.' He mused distantly.

Long after that he stood staring at the night sky with its shining stars, thinking of the questions he'd never gotten around to asking. Questions like had that kiss from five years ago meant as much to the light as it had to the dark? Had it meant anything at all?

**Author's Notes:**

**I am SO sorry for the long delay. It's been REAL hectic here. We had death in the family, my computer broke down (**_**twice!**_**), and my mother had to go through a pretty dangerous surgery. Not to mention all the exams I have hanging on my head. So, sorry about the long wait. I did what I could and hope you liked the chapter. Feel free to review!**

**Disclaimer:**

**I DO NOT own Yu Gi Oh!**


	7. Chapter 7

** This is for Evarinya! Thanks for the support! Feel free ro make comments and give suggestions. Even though I really wanted to do my first smut scene by myself, I appreciate the offer for help and hope I did well! Again, thank you Evarinya darling!**

Chapter 7

_He was burning, burning alive. That was the only coherent thought that passed through his muddled up mind. It was as if he was submerged in a pool filled with white-hot iron and he couldn't claw his way to the surface. His skin felt like it was blistering and peeling off his bones and flesh. His breath wouldn't leave his constricted throat even though he wanted nothing more than to pant for air as if he'd run a marathon. And somehow he _knew_ that this inferno he was in was caused by those hands. Those slender, strong hands whose touch felt cool like a healing balm while on his skin but caused that same skin to churn the moment they left._

_They were all over him, those hands. They touched him and stroked him as if to soothe, but only caused the heat covering his body to increase. He couldn't take it anymore. He felt like he was going to explode. He was scared and elated at the same time and the strange combination confused him and terrified him all the more. It was as if he was dieing, but simultaneously he had _never_ felt so alive before._

_Then, his throat was free and the keening scream that had been building up was released. And suddenly the heat wasn't just painful anymore. The hands and their touches didn't bring just false relief. Pain and pleasure seemed to mix to a point where he couldn't identify where one ended and the other began. He could pant all he wanted now, sweet, blessed air filling his lungs and, he surrendered to the sensations. As if that was all it took, his body arched and his own hands rose to touch and explore at last._

_His lips slightly parted__, his breathing ragged, his fuzzy mind interpreted what his fingers were feeling as smooth and slightly damp skin stretched over a strong, broad back and firm muscles. Tipping his head forward, his tongue darted out of his mouth to taste what his hands told him to be the other's neck. His senses seemed to be awakening one by one and soon he felt the slightly salty, spicy taste of his lover in his mouth. Because it was obviously a lover that was doing all those things to him. The touches were a bit too insistent, the hands were wandering a little too boldly for the other to be anything but a lover._

_His inquisitive tongue earned him a deep, guttural moan, bordering on a needy growl. _

'_My hearing is back' Mused some distant part of his overwhelmed brain. The rest of him was too busy relishing in the sound and feel of a hot, moist breath panting in his left ear._

_The hands still exploring his body, which he now realized was completely naked, drew him impossibly closer so that his chest was pressed firmly against the other's. It was slick with sweat, moving rapidly up and down, and definitely male._

_Then his lover bit him, right in the junction where his neck met his shoulder. It was possessive and passionate and he couldn't help but moan at the intense sensations it brought along. His hips bucked wildly against the other's. Every sell in his body was alive and singing. His hands clawed at the strong back and shoulders, he hissed and thrashed like a wild cat, and although his vision still wasn't back, he just knew his nails had drawn blood. He could feel it mixing with their sweat, taste it as he in turn bit and licked his lover's body. And he was answered by equally brutal and primal growls and groans. Strong arms wrapped around him until he couldn't draw breath, squeezed his wrists and torso until he was sure he'd have bruises and it was all so good and so _hot_, he was burning…_

_He realized he was suddenly lying now but he couldn't bring himself to care how or when. Not when he was all too aware of his erection rubbing against his lover's thigh and equally hard member. Their sweat-slicked bodies grinded and writhed against each other and the heat was back, twice as painful and pleasurable as before. Both of them were passed sanity and coherency now, if they had ever had them. The only sounds that left their throats were animalistic grunts and hisses. They clawed at each other's bodies, groped and stroked none too gently. Their lips would meet from time to time, but it was more like a fight for dominance, filled with clashing tongues and teeth and biting and sucking, than a kiss._

_Pretty soon though that wasn't enough. He could feel an emptiness inside him, one which grew with every passing second and gnawed at his senses. On some instinctual, primal level, he understood it and knew what he had to do to satisfy it. So while one hand was tangled in his mysterious lover's hair, bringing his head down for another tongue-duel, his other hand slithered its way between their slippery bodies and at last reached its target. He wrapped his slender fingers around the hard, thick shaft and gave it a stroke firm enough to border on painful. His lover tore his mouth away from his in a pleasure-filled scream and thrust his hips forward. _

_He moaned at the erotic sound and stroked the member in his grasp again. The body above him arched and his lover latched onto his throat and collarbone to try and stifle his pants and groans. He felt he couldn't take it anymore. He opened his legs and the other's body slid easily between them, settling comfortably as he wrapped them around the slim waist. Gripping the now leaking shaft in his hand still, he positioned it at his entrance, feeling too impatient (not to mention past any kind of sane thought) for preparations. Taking in a shuddering breath, he finally managed to rasp out something akin to human speech through his sore throat._

"_Now…_Now_!"_

_That seemed to be all the prompting his lover needed. Still firmly latched onto his throat, the body above him grunted and thrust its hips forward, the solid shaft sinking to the hilt._

_Time seemed to freeze. It was as if he was at the edge of a cliff, waiting for the few last pushes to the exhilaration of freefall. His every last nerve flared as if charged with electricity. His back arched, his head thrown back, he fell, releasing an earth-shaking wail. He felt full, stretched beyond imagination and finally whole. With a rush, his last sense returned. As if somebody had removed a blindfold he hadn't even realized he'd been wearing, his eyesight came back. _

_Just as he was about to let the intense wave of pain and pleasure sweep him away, he caught sight of a tanned face contorted in the same ecstasy he himself felt, and a pair of madly burning ruby-red eyes, glimmering in the darkness, all framed by a crown of multi-colored locks. Finally able to put a name to his mysterious lover, he squeezed his eyes shut and screeched at the top of his lungs._

"_YAMI!" _

With a start, Kouga's eyes snapped open and it took him a few moments to figure out where he was. When his wildly beating heart and ragged breathing finally calmed down a bit, he threw a hand over his eyes and groaned. The slight movement caused the light silk sheet thrown over him to shift and rub against a certain body part, a certain body part still painfully erect.

Freezing, Kouga cursed and threw the airy fabric away from himself. Standing from the bed, he took a glance at his bedside alarm clock and frowned, seeing as it was still only three o'clock in the morning. Clad only in a pair of boxers that still rubbed uncomfortably against his twitching member when he walked, he padded over to his spacious bathroom. Turning on the cold water, he took off his boxers, hissing slightly as they caught on his straining penis, and stumbled into the shower, still cursing under his breath.

He hoped the cold water would do its job (for a change). Shuddering at the memory of his latest and, by far, most intense dream, Kouga let the icy stream pelt over his back and shoulders. Soon though, it became that obvious it wouldn't work.

"Shit!"

He finally relented and, with a resigned sigh, took a hold of his shaft. Electricity seemed to spark up his body from the simple touch and he once again cursed his rotten luck as he stroked himself closer to completion.

'Darkness' Light's concert was in just fifteen hours and he _had_ to get himself under control by then. Since his return to Domino he'd felt the walls he'd built to keep the link between Yami and himself dormant, fall down bit by bit. His darkness' close proximity had made sure of it. Visions and dreams had become his stalkers. He just _knew_ they were leaking through the holes in the bond-barrier, but he couldn't even tell which ones were his own, and which were Atemu's. The only thing he _did_ know was that they weren't all his, and it was getting on his nerves. He couldn't sleep, he couldn't eat, and he walked around with an almost constant hard on! It was maddening! Thoughts of his yami plagued him night and day! It was interfering with his work, goddamnit! Even his band mates had noticed. His friends were worried for him, he could tell even though they tried to hide it (not that Jojo had _ever_ been good at hiding _anything_, much less her emotions). Thank Ra they knew not to broach the subject. Even though he'd been moody and irritable (in other words, sulking and brooding), they'd been patient and understanding. At times like these, he _really _appreciated his friends!

He hadn't seen Atemu since that night at the game shop. He hadn't expected to really. He knew him well enough to realize that the next time they saw each other would be at the concert (if his yami decided to come at all). Atemu had a lot to think about and come to terms with.

Sugoroku had come by a few times to see him and Jojo, Mathew, Dan and Jonathan, but they hadn't talked about Kouga's darkness. Honestly, the young singer was grateful. His Grandfather knew he didn't have anything to say. He'd passed the ball to Atemu's side of the field. It was the yamu's turn now.

While lost in the land of angsting and reminiscing, his hand had not been idle. He was brought back to the present by his back arching and lips parting in a strained gasp. His now rapidly moving hand was jerking unsteadily as his balls tightened and shot his seed out of the tip of his penis. He slumped back exhausted, his slowly softening cock still squirting tendrils of white sperm and the water beating down on his form. His bleary eyes took in his release mixing with the water and flowing down the drain.

Sighing, he straightened up and finished washing up, knowing there wouldn't be any sleep for him anymore. Not tonight anyway.

'This has _got _to end soon. I can't go on like this. I'm not even sure what our relationship is at the moment' He though while putting on a pair of black shorts and a white wife-beater 'And until he finally realizes I'm not just an innocent hikari, I'll never know.'

Putting on a pair of black trainers, he left his suite in the hotel, and headed for the lobby and his morning jog. Running always helped him clear his head. And if there was one thing he knew, it was that he'd need all the clarity he could get very soon.

'Whatever happens, it'll start at the concert. It's all up to him now. On whether he'll show up or not.' But then he smirked 'What am I saying? Of course he'll show up! When has the King of Games _ever _beenafraid of a challenge?!'

And as he set off at a brisk pace, he never knew that his other half at the moment was gasping for breath on the other side of town, holding his head in his hands and still shaking from his dream. A dream of writhing, sweat-slicked bodies, animalistic grunts and growls, scorching heat and blinding pleasure. A dream of a body below his, arched in ecstasy, head topped with black and silver thrown back, kiss-bruised lips parted in a scream of his name and silver-flecked purple eyes, half-lidded with lust and desire.

Dawn finally broke on the city of Domino, Japan. The sun god Ra began his journey in the clear blue sky, unknowing, or simply uncaring, of the turmoiled thoughts and emotions running amok in the heads of the two parts of a once whole soul.

One of those two halves was currently slouching (though you'd never hear him admit he was slouching; 3000 year old pharaohs didn't _slouch_. It's un-pharaoh-like) in a chair near the cash register of the Turtle Game Shop, nursing a large mug of coffee and dark circles under a pair of blood-red eyes. Atemu was barely aware of his rapidly cooling drink though, he was too busy staring at the inconspicuous little envelope laying innocently in front of his clasped hands. He was lost in thought, his mind buzzing with flashbacks of his hikari's return, the meaning of the contents of the above-mentioned envelope, and…and the dreams that had been plaguing him since that night Yug…_Kouga_ had been at the game shop.

As much as he didn't want to admit it, the almighty King of Shadows was at a loss of what to make of all this. He'd had dreams of that memorable kiss that had taken him by such a surprise the day his light had left, yes, he admitted that much, but never _ever_ something quite as…_graphic_ as what he'd seen the last few nights. As much as he'd known he'd loved the other part of his soul five years ago, he'd never really pictured his little Yugi in a situation where…

…_Writhing beneath his, lithe body slick with sweat, so deliciously __slippery and aroused, hissing and panting, clawing and thrashing…_

Atemu shook his head hard, startled at the intensity with which the vision had assaulted him. Then again, he thought grimly, the sweet, innocent little Yugi from his memories was a far cry from the sensual, confident personification of all things erotic that _Kouga _seemed to be. He was by no means ignorant of or inexperienced in the sensual art or sex himself, he'd had a goddamn harem once upon a time, after all! But this…This was different by far! He'd never _felt_ that much for his previous lovers. Never been that enamored with them.

Back to the present at last, he glared at his now cold mug of coffee, and stood with an irritated sigh to dump the unappealing gooey brown liquid. Just then, the bell above the shop's door gave a soft chime, signaling someone's arrival. He glanced hopefully and, yes, his ever-loyal friends were there. Joey, Tristan, Tea (here he frowned a bit; the poor girl _still _hadn't given up on her silly little infatuation and kept following him around like a love-sick puppy), they were all there. Even Ryou and Marik had shown up. With their yamis, Atemu noted with a slight grimace. The once-megalomaniacal-sociopaths didn't appear to be too happy with their current location either. Even though they were now much more bearable (hey, at least they didn't huddle together to plan world domination including gleeful homicidal sprees and gory deaths left and right in secret anymore; now they did it in plain sight at the weekly gatherings their lights and the others organized), they still tended to get on the ex-pharaoh's nerves with their blatant disrespect. Not to mention both Yami Bakura and Yami Marik now enjoyed healthy and loving relationships (or as loving and healthy as _those _two could be) with their hikaris. And they never missed an opportunity to rub it in their ex-arch-nemesis' face.

Nevertheless, Atemu was far too grateful for the welcome distraction from his confusing thoughts and emotions to care that a thief and a maniac serial killer were in his presence, however 'repentant' they may be. He just gave a relieved sigh and stepped forward to greet his friends.

"Hey, guys. Thanks for making it."

He was slightly disturbed to see Tea's star-struck state, complete with the glazed over expression and bit of drool dribbling down her chin.

"Never mind that, Atem', old pal." Joey's deep voice snapped him out of his slightly freaked out observations "You said it had to do with Yug', and that's enough for me."

"Oh, _yes_, Atemu darling!" Tea's squeal had the poor spirit of the puzzle wonder if he'd ever get rid of the ringing in his right ear "_Anything_ for you!"

The last was purred in what the delusional little chit must've though was a sensual way, but was in reality slightly sickening, what with the still unnoticed drool. She didn't seem to realize it, but the others did, if their cringing and the newly-arrived-still-slightly-unbalanced yamis' snickers were any indication.

Atemu took a moment to glare the former spirits in, hopefully, submission, before turning back to his friends with a considerably softer expression. They'd all been there for him, five years ago, and he knew that Yugi's departure had affected them almost as much as it had him. They'd helped him on his fruitless search and had given him hope when he'd felt like giving up. They'd never lost their fait in him and Yugi and that had helped him not to either. The day after his hikari's return he'd contacted them (luckily they were all in Domino at the time) and told them one simple sentence.

"I have news of Yugi."

That had been all it had taken. They'd arranged to meet at the game shop, even though Atemu hadn't found it in himself to give out anymore information on what the news had been exactly at the time. The former pharaoh was more than thankful to have such loyal friends (though when he'd called Tea, she'd somehow sounded more excited at the prospect of seeing _him_ than hearing news of the missing Yugi).

Seeing as the others seemed quite annoyed with the girl, Atemu decided to interfere.

"It _does_ have to do with Yugi."

At their expectant faces, instead of offering an explanation, he reached for the counter where the envelope Kouga had given him lay and offered it to his curious friends. After a moment of confused hesitation, Tristan took it and fished out its contents. He withdrew a few smaller pieces of paper that, on closer inspection, turned out to be tickets.

Finally Joey couldn't take the prolonged silence anymore and snapped.

"Well, what does it say?!"

Furrowing his brows, Tristan explained, as the others leaned closer to hear, except Yami Bakura and Yami Marik, who just looked bored (though if anyone bothered to take a closer look, they'd see that the albino and insane Egyptian were just as interested in the conversation).

"It's tickets to a concert. A band called 'Darkness' Light', to be more specific."

Tea chose that moment to give an almighty squeal.

"Oh my gosh! I love them! They're my favorite band in the whole wide world!" She gushed, while Atemu turned wide eyes on her "Kouga Uchiha is a _god_! That body, that face, that _voice_! Sex on legs, I tell you! _Sex on legs_!"

She paused at the looks all of the others were giving her. Heck, even Yami Bakura and Yami Marik looked more than slightly disturbed, what with their bugged out eyes and all.

"Oh…um…But not as sexy as you, Atemu darling!" She squeaked, a sweat drop forming on the back of her head.

Atemu just shook his head at the disconcerting thought that Tea had obviously heard of Yugi's new identity and not known it was their missing friend, and the even more frightening notion that she found him sexy (he ignored the little voice in the back of his head that reminded him of his own less than innocent thoughts and dreams starring the new Yugi).

"Come to think of it, I think I've heard of the guy too." Mused Joey "Isn't he in this really popular American band? The one that holds the top spots in charts all over the world?"

"'Course he is!" Snorted Yami Bakura "And I hate to agree with psycho-fan-girl over there" He jabbed a thumb in Tea's general direction "but Kouga _does_ have one hell of a voice. That guy sure can write songs. 'Sides" He shrugged "He's gotta be one of the most delicious pieces of ass I've seen in a long time."

At this Ryou glared at his yami, and Bakura shot him a sheepish apologetic smirk (he did not _do_ smiles, thank you very much). Yami Marik snickered in agreement with his accomplice's assessment and received a thwack on the back of the head from his slightly fuming hikari-dash-lover.

Atemu didn't like where this was going at all! Was it possible that they'd all known of Yugi's new occupation and identity, and not _one _of them had connected the two personas?! It was a depressing though, how much they really knew a person they claimed to love. How much _he _knew a person he claimed to love. Seth, even the tomb robber and psycothic mass murderer seemed to know more about the life his hikari had lead during the last five years than him! He reminded himself to banish them to the Shadow Realm later for daring to leer over _his _light.

They were all talking now, all of them excited over the prospect of seeing the band live. The tickets were more than enough for all of them, after all. Tea was practically in orgasmic bliss. So were Yami Bakura and Yami Marik for that matter. Even their hikaris seemed to be fans. Joey suddenly interrupted them.

"Hold on a second! Did you forget _why _we came here in the first place? To hear news about Yug'!" Everyone quited down and turned to look at Atemu again. Said ex-pharaoh was just glad to have the conversation back on track "Now, Atem', pal, what's this got to do with Yug'?"

Bracing himself, Atemu forged onward.

"He was here a few days ago." He started, earning himself a few pairs of wide eyes and confused and surprised faces "He left the tickets. Told me if I wanted to see him and get to know him, I should go to the concert and we'd talk more there."

There was deathly silence. Even Tea's squeals had quited somewhat.

"He…He was _here_?!" Joey stammered, his voice sounding as if he'd inhaled helium.

"Yes." Atemu's own voice was quite, but they all heard it nonetheless.

The calm was broken. Everyone was talking and yelling now, shouting excitedly, shooting question after question at him. Finally Ryou (the ever sensible and shy Ryou) managed to calm them down enough for their inquiries to be at the very least discernable from one another.

"Please, control yourselves! You won't get any of our questions answered like that!" He turned to Atemu "Is there someplace more private we could have this conversation?"

The spirit of the puzzle nodded and motioned for them all to follow him upstairs to his room. After they were all seated, Tristan spoke first.

"So, how was he? How did he look? Did he look okay to you?"

Atemu took a deep breath. He was going to need it.

"He was…fine. He seemed changed, and he _has_ changed, but…overall…he seemed to be just fine."

If they noticed his hesitation, they didn't show it.

"So then where is he?" Joey asked, clearly eager to see his best bud.

"I don't really know. I haven't seen him since that night he came by. He just said to meet him at where I later found out was the concert and he'd explain more then."

Atemu sighed heavily and ran a hand over his tired face and through his tri-colored hair.

The others were clearly disappointed, but Marik asked something they were all wondering.

"What I don't understand is why a 'Darkness' Light' concert?" He started, his features clearly showing his confusion "How did he even get by the tickets? They were sold out weeks ago! I should know." He continued a bit irritably, with a playful glare thrown in his lover's direction "This moron's been whining about it for I don't know how long!"

Ryou nodded in agreement and Yami Bakura smirked as he added his two cents.

"True, true. The tickets to any of their concerts are notoriously difficult to find, especially this close to the event. You'd have to practically be Uchiha's best pal to get your hands on one. And these are front row tickets, with back passes and everything. Wonder how little Yugi got a hold of them."

Everyone turned to stare at Atemu again, and the ex-pharaoh decided to get the last of his findings off his chest.

"The reason we couldn't find Yugi was because he'd changed his identity. He doesn't go by Yugi Mutouh anymore." There were several looks of dawning comprehension at this "It's Kouga Uchiha now."

Joey and Tristan's jaws dropped to the ground, Ryou, Marik and their yamis' eyes looked about ready to pop out of their skulls, and Tea gave a shocked squawk and promptly fainted. No one bothered to pick her off the floor. In the following silence, Yami Bakura's next statement rang loud and clear, despite his choaked up voice.

"Well, the runt sure cleaned up nicely."

It was about an hour later that Atemu saw the last of his friends off. They'd all been as shocked at the revelations as he'd been himself. And was it any wonder? Their long missing little Yugi had been hiding right under their noses and none of them had suspected a thing! They'd seen him on the TV, heard him on the radio,even had his posters for Ra's sake! But they'd all agreed that Kouga Uchiha was in no way their 'little Yugi', not anymore. After the initial surprise had worn off, Yami Bakura and Yami Marik had laughed hysterically until they'd toppled gracelessly on the floor by the passed out Tea, holding their hurting sides. Afterwards they'd declared to all that would listen that their respect and admiration for their idol, Kouga Uchiha, had just risen to new heights, as had their anticipation for tonight's concert. The others had still been in too much shock to bother shutting them up (all except Atemu, whose glare, if possible, would have melted their heads clean off their shoulders).

Since the tickets were more than enough for them all, they'd decided to meet at the new BAM recording studio, where the concert was scheduled to take place. There they hoped to finally get their answers. With Joey reluctantly dragging Tea's still catatonic body, they'd left to prepare and get dressed for what was bound to be an eventful night even in _their_ lives.

Atemu watched them all go with a troubled expression. He hoped his friends could deal with the new Yugi, with Kouga. He hoped _he _could deal with him. Even though he'd caught a glimpse of the new person his light had become (or had been all along, he wasn't sure himself anymore), he was somehow certain that even _that_ had been just the tip of the proverbial sand dune.

**AN:**

**I updated as soon as I could. Hope you enjoyed the chapter and, for God's sake people, please review! I was honestly a little disappointed at the number of reviews I received for my last chapter, though I sincerely thank those of you that took the time to share with me their opinions. I'm not asking for much, just tell me what you liked and what I should change, feel free to give suggestions, stuff like that! Anyway, I promise to update whenever I get the chance.**

**Next chapter:**

**The concert and more meetings! Suggestions on which songs I should use for 'Darkness'Light's repertoire are welcome, though I already have some ideas.**

**Disclaimer:**

**I say, haven't you gotten tired of this already? I officially declare that I do not own Yu Gi Oh!**


	8. Chapter 8

**The songs used in this chapter are not mine. They go as followed:**

**Linkin' Park: 'Somewhere I Belong' **

**Evanescence: 'All That'**

**HIM: 'Killing Loneliness'**

**The Rasmus: 'Keep Your Heart Broken'**

**I myself am a BIG fan of all those bands and know most of their songs by heart. Many of them have a special meaning to me and so I hope you approve of my choice. Thank you, and enjoy!**

Chapter 8

Kouga stood in front of the full length mirror in the spacious changing room, and took a moment to run a critical eye over his reflection. The people from the fashion department had really done their job well. His reflection stared back at him, mirroring his smug smirk. He was wearing a pair of _very_ low riding baggy black pants, held up only by a black leather belt, decorated with silver studs and spikes. The pants were tucked carelessly in a pair of heavy looking, loosely laced combat boots, coming to about mid-shin. His torso was covered by a tight fitting black sleeveless mesh shirt, through which one could easily make out a belly button piercing, glinting in the bright light. His right bicep was circled by a silver snake with emeralds for eyes, and both his wrists were covered by thick black armbands. His fingers were littered with silver rings in different shapes and sizes, and around his neck was a thin leather chord with an ankh shaped pendant that came to just about the hollow of his throat. His silver cross earring dangled from his ear, glittering darkly. He'd never liked wearing a lot of make-up, despite 'Darkness' Light's mostly gothic style. The only trace of it now was the heavy khol that outlined his eyes, bringing the silver-specked amethyst pools out nicely.

All in all, he looked ready to bring down the pope with a lust-induced fever. He smirked again. It was just the effect he was looking for. Only, not for the pope.

His door banged open to reveal a hyper-as-usual Jojo, all dressed up and ready. Her outfit was strikingly similar to that of a school girl in one of those catholic schools, except it was all done in shades of charcoal grey, white and red. Her long legs were covered by a pair of horizontally striped stockings in the ebove-mentioned colors, that came to about mid-thigh, and a pair of black, low healed shoes, perfect for helping her determine the rhythm of her drums. The shockingly short dark-grey skirt flared out to an-inch-or-three above the line where her stockings ended, and her white blouse revealed an almost scandalous amount of cleavage, ending just above her belly button, and showing off a flat, well toned stomach. Her long, golden hair was done up in a pair of pig-tails, but it still flowed to about mid-back. She too wasn't overly fond of excessive amounts of foreign goo on her face, and had instead opted for some smoky grey eye shadow and a light touch of lip gloss. The overall impression was an irresistible mix of innoscence and sin, all wrapped up in one package.

Now she smiled brightly at him, her green eyes dancing with excitement for the upcoming show. Closing the door behind her with a resounding bang, she closed the distance between them in two seconds flat and flung her arms around his neck with an excited squeal. With a startled laugh, he grabbed her waist gently and tried to regain his balance.

"Are ya ready? The show starts in fifteen! Ya gotta be ready!"

"Hey, Jojo baby!" He tried to soothe the bundle of energy "Take it easy! Yeah, I'm ready! And I see so are you!"

He pushed her at arms length to get a better look at her and gave an appreciative wolf whistle.

"Damn, you look good!"

She just grinned evilly at him and poked him in the chest.

"You don't look too bad yourself, honey! Haven't seen you fuss over your looks like that since the first date I set you up on! This wouldn't have to do with a certain red-eyed Egyptian hunk of erotic meat, now would it?"

She wriggled her eyebrows suggestively and chortled insanely at his sour expression.

"It's a concert! 'Course I'd be dressed up!" He grumbled moodily, crossing his arms in front of his chest like a petulant five-year-old.

"But you've never had wet dreams quite that noisy for a whole week before any of your other concerts, now have you puppet?" She leered at him.

He just flushed scarlet. No matter how long he'd known her, she could always get a rise out of him. She was probably the last person alive that could do it nowadays. Maube because she knew him so well?

"You've been eavesdropping on me at night?!" He was alarmed to notice his voice had gone a pitch or two higher than he'd have liked to admit.

"Well, you aren't exactly the silent type." She stated with a perfectly straight face, which promptly dissolved into more maniacal laughter at the expression on_ his _face.

Kouga just gaped like a goldfish and, not knowing what else to say or do to that, flapped his arms a bit in an excellent imitation of a windmill. After all, they both knew she was right. He'd never claimed to make for a silent fuck.

This just made the blonde drummer's cackling increase in volume, until Kouga felt he was about ready to throttle her. The soon-to-be-mangled-corpse was saved by the dressing room door opening again (this time much more calmly). Mathew stepped in and gave Jojo a momentary glance, choosing to turn to the only other person in the room except him, capable of speech without gasping and choking on their laughter.

"Do I want to know?" He asked the still somewhat sulking Kouga, his voice as cool and collected as ever, an eyebrow raised above his ever-present dark glasses.

"No." Came the strained response through gritted teeth.

Mathew just nodded once, as if dismissing the matter entirely, and went straight to the point.

"Ready? We're on in about ten."

Kouga just sighed and ran a hand through his lightly spiked black locks.

"Yeah, chortle-choke over there already told me." He said, waving a hand in Jojo's general direction "You and Danny ready, I presume?"

Mathew nodded again and moved a little from the entrance to show a smiling Daniel, standing patiently behind him. Both were dressed similarly, in dark blue jeans and black short sleeved T-shirts. The only differences were in Mathew's glasses and slightly snugger shirt, and the writing on their backs. Danny's said 'Beware, he bites' in big, white letters, and Mathew's read 'Beware, I bite' in similar, red lettering. It was a far cry from Jojo and Kouga's own, much more flashy styles, but it worked more than well for them.

"Okay then, show-time everybody!" Kouga clapped his hands and rubbed them together, his earlier smirk returning.

He strolled through the door and at the last minute, threw over his shoulders.

"Oh, and by the way, Mathew darling, grab Mrs. Hyper on you way out! I don't know whose bright idea it was to give her a sugar-high right before a concert, but it's your turn to drag her to the stage. I did it last time!"

And he raced off, snickering to softly at the sounds of Mathew's irritated cursing (so out of character for the aloof and collected guitar player), Dan's light laughter and Jojo's indignant squawks.

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It was a really impatient Atemu that arrived at the new BAM recording studio, glancing around the loud crowd in search of his friends. His own internal mantra of 'Where are they?' almost drowned out the excited chatter of the exuberant mass of people that had showed up for 'Darkness' Light's concert. The concert itself was scheduled to start in less than half an hour. The stage was set up in the open space in front of the new BAM building, whose shining, mirrored windows reflected the rays of the late afternoon sun. It seemed Ra was to retire for the day soon.

Atemu looked around once more, taking in the kind of people that had come to see his light with one part of his mind, while the other continued to keep watch for Joey's loud, accented voice, or Ryou's shock of white hair. It seemed he'd chosen his wardrobe well. Everywhere around him fans were milling about, decked out in formfitting leather and denim, all in dark colors and decorated with chains and spikes. He himself had opted for his trademark leather pants and sleeveless shirt with silver buckles. He was thankful Marik had warned him beforehand, now he at least didn't stand out.

Suddenly, he heard a voice somewhere to his right.

"Yo, Atemu! Over here!"

Turning, he caught site of Tristan. Beside him stood Joey, looking the opposite way, but he turned at his friend's yell. He too spotted the ex-pharaoh and waved excitedly, with a big dopy grin on his face. Atemu couldn't remember seeing that grin since Yugi's disappearance all those years ago. It seemed Joey was just as desperate and happy tosee his old buddy as he himself was.

Both friends jogged over his way and the spirit of the puzzle made to meet them halfway. Joey wore his usual outfit, only the jeans were black and the T-shirt a dark-gray. Tristan had chosen a similar dark pair of jeans, but with a white muscle shirt, over which he'd slung on a black leather jacket with a few silver spikes along the shoulders. Except for their unusually dark-colored choice of clothing, they hadn't changed all that much in the last couple of years. Tristan still wore his hair in that spike he loved so much; he'd even enrolled in the army, fulfilling his childhood dream. He presently dated Serenity, to Joey's great consternation. Joey himself was the same cheerful loudmouth, with his shabby gold main of hair and puppy-dog brown eyes. Though his face had been somewhat shadowed since Yugi's disappearance, it had cleared up considerably since the news of his return.

"Finally!" Atemu grumbled when he finally reached the two "Have you seen the others?"

"Hey, buddy! Take it easy!" Laughed Joey "We're just as eager to see him, but the show won't start for another fifteen minutes!"

Atemu huffed a bit, but chose to ignore the grinning pair in favor of once more looking around the crowd. Just as he was about to scan the mass of people to his right a second time, he spotted a clump of white hair. Actually, it was _two_ clumps. Ryou, with Marik at his side and the two yamis following, was making his way towards them. The group of four seemed most at ease among the throng of excited fans out of all of them. The two sociopaths of yamis were actually bouncing on their heels, as disturbing a site as that might be. Both looked to be really comfortable in their leather outfits. Marik's was actually matching his yami's, with the exception of his deep violet top, which contrasted starkly with his darkness' rusty-red one. Yami Bakura's all black ansamble vividly brought out his pale skin and snow-white hair. The thief's light was the only one wearing jeans, though their dark-blue color and his tight black T-shirt with 'Darkness' Light's slogan on the front clearly marked him as a fan of the band.

Presently, the more innocent of the two hikaris was pulling along his fellow light, while Marik himself dragged the two yamis. They made for an interesting chain, Atemu mused distantly. Finally, the panting (and in the two mentally unstable psychopaths' case gushing and squealing) party reached Atemu and his group.

"About time." Scowled the irritated ex-pharaoh, glaring disapprovingly at his two former enemies, who only blew him a gasket in retaliation "What took you so long?"

"Sorry, Atemu." Murmured Ryou "We got a bit…sidetracked." He added quietly, glancing at his yami with a blush.

Said yami just leered at him lustily.

"Yeah." Snorted Marik "Who knew the prospect of seeing their favorite band with backstage tickets and everything could have_ that_ kind of effect on those two." He finished with a pointed look at his own yami's crotch.

Yami Marik had the decency to look sheepish, never mind that his light didn't seem at all unhappy with the whole situation.

Tristan scrunched his face in distaste, Ryou blushed even brighter, Atemu added exasperation to his irritation, the albino thief looked smug, and Joey just looked on uncomprehendingly.

"Never mind that!" Atemu snapped "We don't need to listen to the thief and tomb keeper's whacked out hormonal exploits! Now, are we all here, so we can finally go in?"

"Actually," Tristan started "I don't see Tea. Do you thin she…"

Whatever he was going to say, he never got the chance to get it out, for in that moment, a keening squeal, that reminded Atemu uncomfortably of a dieing horse's final war cry, drowned out everything else. Tea had arrived.

As much as she had claimed to be Kouga's fan, she certainly didn't look it now, what with her painfully bright, neon-pink shirt and short, dark-blue denim skirt. Her high-heeled white shoes clicked obnoxiously against the concrete as she raced towards them like a charging bull. She finally glomped the wide eyed, startled Atemu, nearly knocking him over in the process, and started babbling his ear off. At least she was out of her catatonic state. Fortunately or _un_fortunately, nobody could say for certain.

"Atemu, honey! I was afraid I wouldn't be able to find you!" She chattered on "Won't this be romantic?! Just you and me on a concert, all dark and scary, and you'll hold me, and…"

She seemed to have forgotten that they weren't alone.

Finally, Atemu pried her arms away from his person and pushed her gently aside. As much as he thought she was delusional, he still thought of her as his friend.

"Right." He mumbled, a bit shaken by the unexpected show of…affection. Still, he cleared his throat and carried on "_Now_ that we're all here, let's go."

He ignored the snickers concealed as polite coughs around him, and led the whole group towards the stage, where their tickets were to be checked and returned. The man that handed the precious scraps of paper back, gave Atemu a long, piercing look, then nodded and addressed the group.

"After the concert, stay put. Since your tickets include backstage passes, I'll collect you and show you the way."

Atemu raised a surprised eyebrow, and behind him he felt his friends exchange surprised glances (all except Yami Bakura and Yami Marik, who seemed to be doing a strange imitation of a jig and singing happily "We're going backstage!" over and over again).

"We can find our own way." He said to the man, who'd turned to walk away "There won't be a need of an escort."

The man turned to look at him again and shrugged.

"Orders, buddy. I'm to show you and anyone you bring along to Mr. Uchiha himself. I value my job too much to disobey my orders just because you think you can find your own way."

With that, the man was gone. Atemu stood still for a moment, than turned and led the bewildered group to their places at the very front of the stage. All they could do now was wait for the show to start.

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Kouga stood just behind the stage, peering out into the audience without being seen himself. Jojo, Dan and Mathew had all joined him and they were waiting for Jonathan to introduce them.

"You gave him the tickets."

It wasn't a question, but he answered it anyway.

"Yeah."

"Good. It would show him who you are better than any words ever could."

Kouga turned and smiled crookedly at Mathew. It had been his idea to offer Atemu answers this way in the first place. Mathew understood that words would have hurt too much and still accomplish nothing, so had given the suggestion about the tickets, and had been supported by the whole band.

"Thanks, Mat." He said softly, using the nickname his ex-lover vehemently hated.

"Mathew." Came the automatic correction, but the stoic man's lips were quirked in the slightest of smiles. Behind him, Jojo and Dan looked on with soft eyes, understanding smiles on both their faces.

Suddenly, a man from the staff wearing the band's T-shirt, approached and Kouga turned to him, encouraging him to speak.

"He's here, sir." The man said simply.

"Good." Kouga stated with a slight sigh of relief "Is he alone?"

The man shook his head in the negative.

"No sir. He's with company."

Kouga nodded absentmindedly. He'd expected as much. He wondered though how many of his former friends had come along.

"How many?" He asked.

"Seven, him included, sir." The man answered.

Any further conversation was halted though, as Jonathan made his way to the stage and the crowd cheered. Kouga sent the man on his way with a reminder if his duties after the show, and turned back to the stage just in time to hear their cue.

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As Atemu and the others took their places, a middle-aged man wearing an expensive black suit that somewhat contradicted his unruly black mop of hair, appeared on the stage, as the crowd around them cheered.

"Who is that?" He asked Ryou, who was closest to him. Tea was on his other side, clingin to his arm and squealing his ear off.

"That's the band's manager, Jonathan Stevens. He's the one who sort of discovered them. He's been with 'Darkness' Light' since the beginning and is one of the most high up people in BAM."

Atemu nodded, satisfied, and turned back to the stage as the man began his speech.

"Hello and welcome to all!" His voice was light and inviting, but demanded attention at the same time "I'm pleased to announce the opening of BAM's newest recording studio, right here in Domino! We at BAM are thrilled to finally have a branch here in Japan, and are eager to see what the Land of the Rising Sun has to offer in the form of raw talent! Now, as many of you know, our label has discovered and launched many of the greatest names in the music industry today. But to this day, our most successful band has never had the pleasure of entertaining the people of Japan live." At this the crowd started to get progressively louder "But here, this evening, present to bless BAM's newest studio, we are happy to introduce to you the band that conquered the world with just two albums! So, without further ado, I give you…_'Darkness' Light'_!"

The audience exploded into a mass of screaming and shouting as the first notes of a song started. Next to him, Atemu noticed that his friends were no better. Was it because of the fact that they were finally getting to see Yugi again after five long years, or because they just loved the song, he wasn't sure. But the next moment, he stopped thinking altogether, as the curtain fell and he laid eyes on his hikari.

Low, _low_ riding pants, a mesh shirt and a shining black electric guitar with silver designs on the smooth surface. At that moment Atemu could understand perfectly well why the people around him were screeching their lungs out, only to be noticed by this personification of sweet sin. He didn't notice the other members of the band, he didn't notice his friends' momentary shocked silence, all he could see were those intense violet eyes and that tanned face, framed with strands of the purest silver.

And then his mouth opened, and the hands moved over the strings of the guitar as if caressing a lover, and he opened his mouth. And Atemu was lost as Kouga Uchiha wove his enticing web over all those present.

All that I'm living for

All that I'm dying for

All that I can't ignore

Alone at night

I can feel the night beginning

Separate me from the living

Understanding me

After all I've seen

Piecing every thought together

Find the words to make me better

If I only knew

How to pull myself above

All that I'm living for

All that I'm dying for

All that I can't ignore

Alone at night

All that I'm wanted for

All that I want and more

Locked the last open door

My ghosts are gaining on me

I believe that dreams are sacred

Take my darkest fears and play them

Like a lullaby

Like a reason why

I can play the mind obsessions

Make me understand the lesson

So I find myself

So I won't be lost again

All that I'm living for

All that I'm dying for

All that I can't ignore

Alone at night

All that I'm wanted for

All that I want and more

Locked the last open door

My ghosts are gaining on me

Guess I thought I'd have to change the world

To make you see me

To be the one

I could have run forever

With how far I would have come

Without mourning your love

All that I'm living for

All that I'm dying for

All that I can't ignore

Alone at night

All that I'm wanted for

All that I want and more

Locked the last open door

My ghosts are gaining on me

Should have found a locker

Shouldn't feel like I do

Should have locked the last open door

My ghosts are gaining on me

The last note faded and the crowd roared their approval and their desire for more. Atemu came to with a start, as if waking from a dream. Kouga's voice had been so full of feeling. His whole performance had been soaked with emotion. He dimly noted that his friends were cheering along with the rest of the crowd, but he still couldn't take his eyes away from the proud figure in the center of the stage.

Suddenly, Kouga raised his hand and the whole audience went silent, hungrily anticipating their idol's next words.

"Hello, Domino!" He roared into the microphone, his voice crisp and clear "How are you this fine evening?"

His answer was the incomprehensible screech of at least six thousand throats. He smirked and Atemu felt the heat in his lower stomach increase with that simple action.

Kouga continued.

"This concert is quite special to me in many ways. Not many of you know this, but I was borne here, in Domino." The crowd was hanging on his every word. No one had been completely sure where the elusive lead singer came from, so this came as a bit of a shock "I personally chose all songs for this evening and hope you'll enjoy listening to them as much as I enjoyed writing them."

With that, he motioned to the rest of the band behind him, and the notes to the next song started. It was a somewhat calmer tune, but no less captivating.

I'm folding the love in my heart

By the dawn of be gone

The road keeps us apart

For some time of be gone

You promised to swallow your tears when I leave you

You promised to follow the leads I will give you

You said you would crawl in the dark from the laughter

You said you would long after me ever after

My love will go black

If your heart gets stolen

Just promise to keep your heart

One day I'll come back

If your door's still open

Just promise to keep your heart broken

Days go by like the wind

And this life is too short

It makes no sense to give in

To release you from my thoughts

I promise to write you, I'll always remember

I promise to try to be back 'till December

I said I must go, I must face this disaster

I said I would come after you ever after

My love will go black

If your heart gets stolen

Just promise to keep your heart

One day I'll come back

If your door's still open

Just promise to keep your heart broken

If you just promise to keep your heart

Promise to keep your heart broken

If you just promise to keep your heart

Broken

Broken

Broken

Broken

My love will go black

If your heart gets stolen

Just promise to keep your heart

One day I'll come back

If your door's still open

Just promise to keep your heart broken

Forever after, my love

Just promise to keep your heart broken

From then on, the evening progressed to night, and Atemu found himself often exchanging worried glances with the rest of his friends. He couldn't help but find a deeper meaning to Kouga's lyrics as he was sure he was supposed to. His hikari had said he'd chosen the songs himself, after all. He felt worse and worse with every passing moment. How well _had_ he known his own light? He hadn't even been aware Yugi could write music, for Ra's sake!

Kouga's husky, sensuous voice caught his attention again. The sun god Ra had set long ago. It was dark and the stage was illuminated by bright projectors, throwing light on Kouga's lean form, which was by this time glistening with a light sheen of sweat.

Memories, sharp as daggers

Pierce into the flesh of today

Suicide of love took away all that matters

And buried the remains in an unmarked grave in your heart

With the venomous kiss you gave me

I'm killing loneliness (Killing loneliness)

With the warmth of your arms you saved me,

Oh, I'm killing loneliness with you

I'm killing loneliness that turned my heart into a tomb

I'm killing loneliness

Nailed to the cross, together

As solitude begs us to stay

Disappear in the lie forever

And denounce the power of death over our souls

and secret words are said to start a war

With the venomous kiss you gave me

I'm killing loneliness (Killing loneliness)

With the warmth of your arms you saved me,

Oh, I'm killing loneliness with you

I'm killing loneliness that turned my heart into a tomb

I'm killing loneliness

Killing loneliness

With the venomous kiss you gave me

I'm killing loneliness (Killing loneliness)

With the warmth of your arms you saved me

People all around him had taken out their lighters by this time and were waving them over their heads, singing along, with the small flames swishing right and left. Atemu turned his attention back to the stage and found himself locked in a pair of silver-specked pools of amethyst outlined by a layer of khol. A cocky smirk appeared on that exotic face and the ex-pharaoh felt a shiver race down his spine. The next thing he knew, he was letting out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding as Kouga broke the eye contact and turned to shout something behind him.

The girl on the drums grinned a grin eerily similar to Yami Bakura's and raced back stage. A moment later she was back with a glass of what appeared to be some kind of amber colored alcohol and a lit cigarette. She handed them both to Kouga and took her place behind the drums again. The crowd was going wild.

Perplexed, Atemu turned towards Ryou again, but Yami Bakura beat his light to it answered his unasked question with a truly evil smirk.

"It's time for the last song, pharaoh! He always finishes a show with this one, and what you're seeing now is a tradition. They bring out the fag and liquor, and you know it's time for Kouga's greatest hit so far!"

Atemu was just about to open his mouth with a scathing remark (something along the lines of 'I did not intend to ask _you_, thief!'), when he noticed that all around him was quit. He turned back to the stage just in time to see Kouga put out the cigarette he'd finished while pacing said stage with his foot, and smash the half-empty glass to pieces. Juts as the glass crashed, the crowd erupted again and a melody began.

But it wasn't Kouga who started the song. It was the second guitar player, one of the apparent set of twins, the one with the dark glasses. Just as Atemu was wondering why Kouga wasn't joining, that unmistakable voice sounded.

When this began  
I had nothing to say  
And I'd get lost in the nothingness inside of me  
I was confused  
And I let it all out to find/That I'm  
Not the only person with these things in mind  
Inside of me  
But all the vacancy the words revealed  
Is the only real thing that I've got left to feel  
Nothing to lose  
Just stuck/Hollow and alone  
And the fault is my own  
And the fault is my own

I want to heal  
I want to feel  
What I thought was never real  
I want to let go of the pain I've held so long  
Erase all the pain 'til it's gone  
It's gone  
I want to heal  
I want to feel  
Like I'm close to something real  
I want to find something I've wanted all along  
Somewhere I Belong

And I've got nothing to say  
I can't believe I didn't fall right down on my face  
I was confused  
Looking everywhere/Only to fin that it's  
Not the way I had imagined it all in my mind  
So what am I  
What do I have but negativity  
'Cause I can't justify the  
Way everyone is looking at me  
Nothing to lose  
Nothing to gain/Hollow and alone  
And the fault is my own  
The fault is my own

I will never know  
Myself until I do this on my own  
And I will never feel  
Anything else until my wounds are healed  
I will never be  
Anything 'til I break away from me  
And I will break away  
I'll find myself today

I want to heal  
I want to feel like I'm  
Somewhere I belong

And before the final cheers had died down, Kouga bellowed into the microphone.

"Thank you! You were a wonderful audience! Goodnight!"

And just like that, he was gone. The rest of the band was quick to follow, and the screeching audience started to slowly file out.

"Oh my God!" Murmured a shocked Joey "Was _that _our Yugi? I mean, I just can't believe he's so…"

"Changed?" Atemu softly said.

"Yah." Joey nodded solemnly.

He couldn't seem to find the right words to express his surprise. All the others were quit, not knowing what to say, except a squealing Tea, and chortling Yami Bakura ad Yami Marik. The latter two were soon silenced by a whack to the back of their heads, courtesy of their hikaris.

Fortunately, the tense silence didn't last long, as they were approached by the same man who'd told them would escort them earlier.

"This way, gentlemen" He paused and glanced at Tea with a raised eyebrow "and _lady_. Mr. Uchiha is waiting, and he is not a very patient man."

After a nod from Atemu, the wary group followed. They were lead behind the stage and into the new BAM building. After a short elevator ride and walk through a series of corridors, they were told to wait in front of a heavy mahogany door, while their escort knocked lightly.

A man with soft brown hair and sunglasses (Atemu recognized him as the one who'd sung the last song with Kouga) opened the door and raised an eyebrow in a stoic way, chillingly similar to Seto Kaiba's.

"Yes?"

Even his voice was as cold as the CEO's.

Their guide seemed quite intimidated, but answered nonetheless.

"They're here, sir."

The man turned towards them now, and after a moment, nodded and stepped aside to let them pass. Without another word, the man that had led them here turned and left as quickly as possible.

The company of seven entered what was apparently a dressing room. It was decorated in calm, beige and white colors. The furniture was simple and elegant, made of primarily light brown wood. A full-length mirror stood in one corner with a vanity next to it. A wrack with darkly colored clothing, the materials mostly leather, denim and silk, was pushed to the side of the vanity. A loveseat and several squishy-looking beanbags were scattered around a low table, covered with magazines, a few cups of coffee and bottles of water, some empty. All in all, the room had a cosy, serene feeling to it.

Nothing of the room's interior caught Atemu's attention, though. What he was more interested in was the person sprawled out on the loveseat.

Kouga lay with his feet in the other twin's lap, a small white towel covering his face, still dressed in the clothes from the concert. His right hand was thrown over the back of the loveseat, and his left lay on his flat stomach. The blonde girl that had played the drums was bouncing in her seat in one of the beanbags, staring at them unblinkingly. The manager, Jonathan, sat opposite her, also regarding them carefully.

"Mathew" Came Kouga's irritated voice, slightly muffled by the towel "Stop scaring the living dayshit out of the staff!"

The man, Mathew, simply crossed his hands over his chest and cleared his throat with a still raised eyebrow (Atemu had the feeling that the man didn't _know_ any other facial expressions). Kouga lifted the small towel and finally saw he had company. He froze and stared at them for a moment, taking all of them in.

Atemu could feel his friends tense behind him. None of them was sure how their long lost friend would take their presence. After all, although the tickets were a hint, the invitation had been directed specifically only to Atemu.

Then Kouga opened his mouth.

"Uh…Hi guys."

That seemed to be all it took. The next thing anyone knew, Joey was across the room and hugging the life out of the poor singer, bawling all over the place.

"Yug'! Where the hell were you? I missed you! Ya tiny little bugger, you! Don't you _ever_ do this ta me again, ya hear?!"

The rest was swallowed up by sobs and sniffles, the likes of which poor Kouga had never seen or heard (and hoped to never see or hear again, actually).

"Geez, Joey, calm down, will ya?" He wheezed, his ribs starting to ache from Joey's bear-hug "You're slobbering all over me, and my shirt ain't exactly snot proof, ya know!"

The hysterical blonde finally let up on his friend and slowly started to calm down.

"What are you, related to Jojo or something?" Grumbled a very relieved Kouga.

It was only then that he turned to the rest of the people he'd left behind five years ago. Tristan looked to be fighting back tears, and Ryou was openly sniffling. Marik, Yami Bakura and Yami Marik were all grinning in a rather demented way. Tea looked constipated (he _had_ to raise an eyebrow at her choice of clothing, what _had_ the chit been thinking?), and Atemu…Atemu was watching him with an unreadable expression.

He left a still slightly sobbing Joey in Danny's competent care, and rose to approach his yami.

"So" He began in a soft voice "You made it."

His darkness regarded him from beneath long, thick lashes, and after a moment responded in an equally soft tone of voice.

"Yes."

"Did you find some of the answers you were looking for?" He asked, tilting his head slightly to one side.

Although the others observed this exchange with a certain dose of confusion, Atemu knew exactly what his light meant. He'd wondered what Yugi had been up to in the years of his absence, and now he had his answer. He was also beginning to understand how little he'd really known his hikari. After all, he never would have suspected his light of even being _interested_ in music, let alone creating it.

So he understood the question he was answering perfectly well.

"Yes."

This seemed to satisfy the young singer, because he nodded slightly and, suddenly, drew his yami into his embrace. Atemu returned the sign of affection eagerly, squeezing his eyes tight and inhaling the scent he'd missed so much. They still had a long way to go, but at least the mistakes were acknowledged. Now the process of correcting them could finally begin.

After a minute or two, they reluctantly drew back, and Kouga turned to the others with a cheeky grin.

"Well, I see the old gang is all here. How've guys been?"

And just like that, the barrier was broken. Introductions were made, stories shared, experiences exchanged and a slightly disturbed Kouga found out he had two rather unexpected fans. Yami Bakura and Yami Marik seemed to be teetering between brainless, star-eyed adoration for their musical idol, and merciless teasing for the apparently not-so-innocent hikari. It would have confused and even terrified Yugi, but Kouga found their not-quite-sane antics rather amusing ('Don't encourage them!' had come Marik's horrified shriek when he'd shared his thoughts). Tristan was enjoying an earful of Jojo-gibberish (though his eyes were straying a little too low to be locked onto hers), Joey was chatting with a warmly smiling Dan, and Mathew was glowering at an annoyingly shrill Tea.

Soon though the room quited as Jonathan cleared his throat.

"Yes, well" He started "I hate to break this up, but you guys have a party to host." He said, addressing the band.

Kouga groaned.

"Oh, right! The after-show party! I totally forgot!"

"What do you mean?" Asked a worried Atemu. He didn't want to part from his light just yet "What party?"

"The one that's organized traditionally after every concert." Jonathan answered "It's to be held at a local club. 'Petting Zone', I believe it was called."

"'Petting Zone'? What kind of name is _that_?" Mumbled a bewildered Joey.

Smirking, Kouga leaned into the oblivious youth, and whispered in his ear, his voice husky.

"You know, Joey, _that_ kind of 'petting'."

And he groped his ass.

Joey jumped and gave a rather unmanly squawk, as the rest of Kouga's old friends stared at him in astonishment. The next thing anyone new, an albino thief and serial murderer were groveling at the singer's feet, begging him to teach them 'his wicked ways'. Kouga was just about ready to throw his hands in the air in amused exasperation, when Jonathan spoke again.

"Kouga, why don't you invite your friends along?"

Kouga stared, Jonathan stared right back. A wicked glint appeared in the former's eyes and a slow smirk made its way onto his face.

"Yeah" He mumbled. Then, louder "Yeah, why _don't_ you come along? We could always use the limo."

The unholy light in those silver-specked amethysts went unnoticed by all.

**A.N:**

**Wow, I wrote this chapter practically in one go! And let me tell you something, it was **_**exhausting**_**! I don't feel my butt…**

**Anyways, thanks a million for the reviews! You people warm my shriveled little black heart! Kisses to you all! Thanks for the suggestions, and although I couldn't fulfill them all, I still hope you like what I **_**did **_**choose. **

**Next chapter: clubbing and a light doze of jealousy!**

**Disclaimer:**

**I do not own Yu Gi Oh!**


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